Wesley Bailey wasn’t on anyone’s radar to make the Los Angeles Rams’ 53-man roster, but after his absolute monster performance against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday, folks are throwing around comparisons to Leonard Floyd, a former top-10 draft pick. This undrafted rookie just lit up SoFi Stadium on August 22, and suddenly, the Rams’ edge rusher projections are looking wild.
The Play That Changed Everything (For Now)
Bailey came into that Saints game with little fanfare, but he definitely left his mark. He was absolutely feasting against Alex Wollschlaeger, an undrafted rookie who’s listed as the Saints’ third-string tackle. Bailey got to Zach Wilson for a first-quarter sack, sending a clear message. Later in the game, he showed off his power and awareness in the run game. Bailey fought off a block at the goal line and punched out the ball, keeping New Orleans off the scoreboard entirely. Talk about making a statement in a preseason setting! The stats tell the whole story: 5 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and four QB hits. That’s a day, especially for a guy no one was watching.
From Undrafted Ghost to Roster Hopeful
Who even saw this coming? Just a month ago, Turf Show Times compiled over 100 fan-made 53-man rosters, and not a single one of them featured Bailey. Seriously, this guy was a total ghost on the pre-camp radar. His $35,000 signing bonus was decent for an undrafted player, sure, but it was nowhere near a huge investment like Dan Villari’s. Bailey wasn’t even in the top-10 players projected to not make the cut on those fan rosters. Most fans thought the Rams would only keep four edge rushers, with Desjuan Johnson being the last man in. Keir Thomas was on 33 percent of projected rosters, which was the most for any outside linebacker who didn’t make the team. This shows just how far down the pecking order Bailey was. For him, even making the practice squad would be a phenomenal accomplishment, considering he had 15.5 sacks over five college years split between Rutgers and Louisville.
Measuring Up and Looking Ahead
The comparison to Leonard Floyd is legit, but also shows the climb Bailey still has. Floyd racked up 17 sacks in three years at Georgia, then blew scouts away with a blazing 4.6 40-yard dash at 244 pounds back at the 2016 combine. Bailey himself isn’t slow, running a 4.69 40-yard dash at 260 pounds at his Louisville pro day. Floyd also had a five-inch higher vertical. Still, what Bailey did against the Saints is drawing the comparison, which is wild. Sean McVay, not one to mince words, felt Bailey really improved from the first preseason game, where his name barely came up. McVay’s clues about the roster aren’t usually subtle, and Bailey just gave him something big to think about. The Rams roster decisions are looming, and Bailey just forced his name into a conversation no one saw coming.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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