Norwich City signed Peterborough's England Under-21 international central defender Ryan Bennett at the close of the January 2012 transfer window for a sum reported to be £3.2m. He was immediately loaned back to ther Posh to give them some time to recruit another defender on loan. Club Manager Paul Lambert said of the transfer: “I’m delighted we have signed Ryan. He’s made a bright start to his career at Grimsby and Peterborough; he’s an England U21 international and he’s got so much potential."

A product of Ipswich's youth team, he was released from Portman Road at the age of 16. He joined Grimsby and quickly broke into their first team. Bennett made his professional debut as an 88th minute substitute, replacing Danny Boshell in a 2–1 win over Milton Keynes Dons in April 2007. 21 days later he became the club's youngest ever captain, aged only 17 years old when Grimsby's all time record appearance holder John McDermott passed him the skippers armband after being substituted in the local derby with Lincoln City. With the appointment of Mike Newell as first team manager in October 2008, Bennett was handed the captain's arm-band for the remainder of the 2008–2009 campaign aged only 18

After 103 league appearances, he signed for Peterborough United on 23rd October 2009 on an initial three-month loan deal with a view to a permanent move. Bennett made his loan at London Road permanent on 23rd January 2010, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract, with Grimsby reportedly receiving £500,000, possibly rising to £1 million

Bennett was called up for the England under-18 side that faced Austria on 16th April 2008. It was his first England call-up. He played the full game in the 2–0 victory. On the 29th September 2011 Stuart Pearce gave him his first call-up to the England U21 after he impressed him in the home win against Burnley. On the 10th of October Bennett made his international under 21 debut in the 2–1 win away against Norway's Under-21s.

Ryan made his Norwich debut on 30th March 2012 in the 2-1 defeat at Fulham. He ended the season with eight appearances.