Rams Losing Super Bowl Winning Backup to a Familiar Place

John Wolford


Getty

John Wolford before the December 25, 2022 home game versus Denver in Inglewood.

Baker Mayfield and Greg Gaines won’t be the only past Los Angeles Rams representatives on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Announced by the NFC South franchise on the morning of Tuesday, May 9, the Bucs have added former Rams backup quarterback John Wolford to their signal-caller room.


Wolford Became Trusty Backup in ‘Rams House’

While Wolford obviously wasn’t a cornerstone member of the Rams, he still played one of the more underrated important positions in the league: The backup quarterback.

Wolford on multiple occasions had to step into the leader of the offense when Matthew Stafford went down with his spinal cord contusion. But even before, Wolford was tasked to step in for former Rams QB1 Jared Goff.

Back in the 2020 season, the Rams threw Wolford in as the starter and he responded with guiding L.A. to the season finale home win over the Arizona Cardinals 18-7. Wolford completed 22-of-38 passes for 231 yards, completed 57.9% of his throws and was picked off once. But he also added a rare mobility dimension for the Rams that afternoon — racking up an average of 9.3 yards per attempt and finished with six carries for 56 yards.

Wolford played sparingly the following week in the NFC Wildcard contest in Seattle by completing 3-of-6 passes for 29 yards and threw one pick. Goff, though, ultimately took the QB1 reins and finished off the road upset of the NFC West champion Seahawks.

In 2022, Wolford ended up going 1-2 as a starting quarterback. He finished with 38 completions on 62 attempts, 390 yards, one interception and three picks. He also produced 19 passes that were good enough for the first down according to Pro Football Reference. Wolford, however, was sacked seven times and was unable to finish the season healthy.

Wolford ended up sustaining a neck injury that hampered him the rest of 2022. His last appearance behind center for the Rams was on December 4, 2022 against the Las Vegas Raiders — which was best known for the Rams debut of Mayfield who later ended the long losing skid for the Rams.


Reason for Wolford Departure Explained

Wolford, again, emerged as a trustworthy option for the Rams at their most important position on offense. But even following the conclusion of the season, the 27-year-old was facing an uncertain future with the franchise.

Wolford, who started with the New York Jets but eventually played his entire career in L.A., was a free agent after the season. He joined fellow backup Bryce Perkins and Mayfield as the free agent representatives on the Rams.

Now, with Stetson Bennett drafted in the fourth round, Wolford’s time inside the “Rams House” officially came to an end. The Rams took in Bennett not only with the thinking of providing needed depth for Stafford, but also getting a potential QB of the future and a younger option behind Stafford at 25.

Wolford is now in a QB room that features Mayfield and former second rounder Kyle Trask. The Rams, meanwhile, not only brought in Bennett but also added undrafted free agent Dresser Winn out of Tennessee-Martin and former Denver Bronco plus backup to Russell Wilson Brett Rypien. Local passer Case Cookus of Thousand Oaks tops off the current stable of 2023 Rams options behind center.

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