The Los Angeles Rams have released Canadian-American quarterback Brett Rypien as part of the NFL’s final cutdown day ahead of the 2023 season.
The nephew of Calgary native and Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien signed with the Rams in May following a four-year run with the Denver Broncos. Rypien started three career games in Denver and threw for 778 yards, four touchdowns, and eight interceptions over eight career regular season games.
Stetson Bennett, who recently led the Georgia Bulldogs to back-to-back National Championships, will be L.A.’s only backup quarterback behind Matthew Stafford. The 25-year-old was a fourth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Rypien was born in Spokane, Wash. but is eligible for dual-citizenship. He was a four-year starter at Boise State where he passed for 13,578 yards, 90 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions and was named three-time first-team all-Mountain West Conference.
L.A. also waived Canadian tight end Nikola Kalinic.
The 26-year-old spent the first half of the 2022 NFL season on the practice roster with the Indianapolis Colts. He was promoted to the active roster for the second half of the season, dressing for seven games and recording one kickoff return for 15 yards.
The Toronto native was waived by the team in May and worked out for the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, and Atlanta Falcons prior to signing with the Rams last month.
Kalinic was selected by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the second round of the 2019 CFL Draft out of York University. He dressed for 30 games over two seasons with the club and recorded 23 receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
The Rams finished third in the NFC West this past season with a 5-12 record.
