NFL gives Rams the chance to make Baker Mayfield instantly regret leaving

Turnabout is fair play

So that's where we sign off on this story? You ought to know better than that. After all, Baker Mayfield was not the only veteran quarterback with a restored luster after signing on with the Rams. The team restored the shine to veteran QB Carson Wentz in 2023 before he left to sign on with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024 as their backup.

The Rams signed veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo to back up Matthew Stafford in 2024. His lone performance leading backups to the best offensive pass attack of the season was enough to prompt the team to extend him for 2025 as well. As a result, the Rams have three veteran quarterbacks on the roster in Stafford, Garoppolo, and Stetson Bennett.

But this team has something special awaiting Baker Mayfield's return.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive line has protected Mayfield well enough in the past two seasons. In both years, he has only been sacked 40 times. That was good enough to slide in as the 15th-best pass-protecting offensive line in 2024. But the Denver Broncos managed to sack Mayfield seven times in a 26-7 defeat of the Bucs in a Week 3 contest. You should expect similar treatment at the hands of the Rams' much-improved pass rush in Week 13.

The Rams' pass rush took time to get hot last season. But there is no comparable pass rush in the NFL at the moment. The Rams recorded 16 quarterback sacks in just two playoff games last season. And with the hire of Coach Dan Wilkens to the coaching staff, the pass rush just got a B-12 shot.

Wilkens is a pass rush savant. That is, he specializes in studying and dissecting how NFL offenses attempt to protect the quarterback, and designs an entire game strategy to thwart those efforts. It was clear that Jared Verse, a rookie who recorded unheard-of pressures on the quarterback, needs help to refine and convert pressure into sacks.

Wilkens is the right guy for the job.

It's not a grudge match. Receivers are paid to catch footballs. Offensive linemen are paid to block. Pass rushers are paid to rush and sack opposing quarterbacks. In Week 13, one of the fiercest NFL pass rushes awaits Baker Mayfield's homecoming. The Rams know all too well what they will face in that matchup.

But Baker Mayfield has no clue. And when he realizes just how dangerous this Rams revitalized pass rush has become, he may regret ever leaving.

As always, thanks for reading.

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