After being relegated to the third-string quarterback position, Baker Mayfield got released by the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday. In a surprising move, the Los Angeles Rams claimed him off waivers as starter Matthew Stafford could be out for the remainder of the 2022 season. Then, after 48 hours later, Mayfield was on the field for the team.
The former Heisman Trophy winner entered the game after John Wolford led Los Angeles to a quick three-and-out in its first drive. While the first half was nothing special, the final minutes showed that Mayfield might still have a place in the league—and potentially with the Rams.
Down 16-10 with 1:45 left and no timeouts, Mayfield led Los Angeles to a 98-yard game-winning drive. He had a 32-yard pass to Ben Skowronek, then finished with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Van Jefferson. Los Angeles ended up beating the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16.
Down six with 1:41 to go backed up your own two-yard line? @bakermayfield was feeling dangerous. 😤 pic.twitter.com/gDuUL1QsZH
— NFL (@NFL) December 9, 2022
The quarterback ended the night going 22-for-35 for 230 yards and a touchdown. While a lot of those numbers came on the game-winning drive, it is difficult to ignore the role Mayfield played on Thursday.
Following the game, fans are certainly curious to know if Mayfield is the short-term solution for the Rams' struggles at quarterback in 2022. With that being said, here are some reasons why Los Angeles must stick with Baker Mayfield after the victory over the Raiders.
3. He has already outplayed the team's backup quarterbacks
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises from Mayfield's performance on Thursday is how quickly he got inserted into the lineup. He had about 48 hours between his waiver claim and his first snap as a Ram. Still, it seemed he did not have many problems adapting to his new home.
Mayfield's first pass was a deep 21-yarder to Jefferson. He then followed it with a run for six yards. The drive culminated in a field goal. Despite the slow rest of the first half, Mayfield ended the matchup with a 62.9% completion rate.
For comparison, prior to Thursday, Los Angeles split the starting quarterback job between John Wolford and Bryce Perkins. In two starts this year, Wolford completed 61.3% of his passes for 390 yards, one touchdown and three picks. He only surpassed 200 passing yards once. Perkins started one of the four games he appeared, totaling 161 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on a 55.9% completion rate.
This was the team's first win since Week 6. Since Mayfield already showed he can play in clutch moments, head coach Sean McVay might as well stay with him for the remainder of the season.
2. Mayfield has more experience than Wolford and Perkins combined
Other than the win against the Raiders, there's another major factor on Mayfield's side in the Rams' quarterback battle. He is in his fifth season in the NFL, accumulating 68 starts, and it wasn't too long ago he helped the Cleveland Browns break an 18-year streak of missing the playoffs.
Since going undrafted in 2018 and playing in the Alliance of American Football, Wolford has a total of eight NFL games, including one in the playoffs. He only has one touchdown pass in his career against five interceptions. Even though he is 3-2 as a starter, Wolford played a total of 18 snaps and threw just six passes in his last two wins.
On the other hand, Perkins has been a part of the Rams' organization since 2020. However, he only made his NFL debut less than a month ago and has just one start on his resumé.
If McVay takes experience into consideration, Mayfield should have a clear advantage over his competition.
1. Los Angeles does not own its first-round pick in 2023
At the end of the day, the biggest reason why Los Angeles should give Mayfield a chance as a starter is beyond its 2022 aspirations.
To acquire Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions in the 2021 offseason, the Rams traded away quarterback Jared Goff, a third-round pick and two first-rounders. That includes the team's first-round selection in 2023.
At 4-9 and last in the NFC West, the Rams are unlikely to make the playoffs. At this point, teams would probably start to rest their best players and tank to get a higher draft pick. But since Los Angeles does not own its first-round pick in 2023, there is no reason to deliberately lose more games in 2022.
Based on what Mayfield showed on Thursday, he still has something to give in the NFL. It might not be the same as his Oklahoma years, but he could at least be a serviceable starter until Stafford returns or the Rams find their next franchise quarterback. Mayfield could ultimately settle in as one of the best backups in football.
Without their first-round pick, the Rams should already start preparing for the 2023 season, but trying to win in the process. As there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Stafford's condition, McVay should give Mayfield more opportunities to remain in Los Angeles long-term.
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