Mayfield claimed off waivers by QB-needy Rams

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Rams person claimed backmost Baker Mayfield disconnected waivers, the squad announced Tuesday.

The Carolina Panthers waived Mayfield connected Monday, thing interim manager Steve Wilks said was a communal statement betwixt the 2 sides. Wilks said Mayfield asked to beryllium released aft uncovering retired helium wouldn't beryllium the starting backmost oregon backup successful Carolina going forward.

The Rams volition inherit the remaining $1.35 cardinal connected Mayfield's contract.

Mayfield is expected to alert to Los Angeles by Tuesday nighttime and could play arsenic soon arsenic Thursday nighttime against the Las Vegas Raiders arsenic the Rams are successful the process of sending the playbook to him to marque definite helium tin survey the discourtesy connected his flight, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Asked if Mayfield has a accidental to play against the Raiders, 1 root told Schefter, "there's a shot."

On Saturday, the Rams enactment starting backmost Matthew Stafford connected injured reserve owed to a spinal cord contusion. Stafford has been sidelined since helium injured his cervix successful the Rams' Week 11 nonaccomplishment to the New Orleans Saints, a crippled helium near aft being evaluated for a concussion. McVay aboriginal said Stafford felt immoderate numbness successful his legs aft taking a deed successful that game.

Although Stafford is eligible to instrumentality successful Week 17, McVay said "there's a bully chance" the backmost volition not play again this season.

Backup backmost John Wolford started successful the Rams' Week 13 nonaccomplishment to the Seattle Seahawks but was checked retired respective times by the team's aesculapian unit during the game. He was listed connected the wounded study connected Monday with a cervix injury.

If Mayfield doesn't play, either Wolford oregon third-string backmost Bryce Perkins volition commencement Thursday night's game. Perkins started successful the Rams' Week 12 nonaccomplishment to the Kansas City Chiefs portion Wolford was injured.

The Panthers traded for Mayfield successful July, sending the Cleveland Browns a conditional 2024 fifth-round draught prime that could person go a 4th had Mayfield played 70% of the snaps. Mayfield did not deed that people this season.

Mayfield, who started six games for the Panthers this season, ranks past successful the NFL successful Total QBR among qualified quarterbacks with a standing of 18.2, which besides is the second-worst ever among 541 qualified passers since the stat has been tracked, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The adjacent lowest this play is Houston Texans backmost Davis Mills with a standing of 29.2.

Mayfield, the archetypal wide prime successful 2018, won the Panthers' starting occupation successful grooming campy aft an unfastened contention with Sam Darnold, the 3rd prime of the 2018 draft. He went 1-5 arsenic a starter this play and had a career-low 57.8 completion percent and threw lone six touchdown passes to six interceptions.

Mayfield, who started six games for the Panthers this season, ranks past successful the NFL successful Total QBR among qualified quarterbacks with a standing of 18.2, which besides is the second-worst ever among 521 qualified passers since the stat started tracked successful 2006, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The adjacent lowest this play is Houston Texans backmost Davis Mills with a standing of 29.2.

ESPN's David Newton contributed to this report.