The Rams claimed Baker Mayfield off waivers Tuesday, and he arrived at the team facility about 14 hours ago.
Coach Sean McVay said the Rams are “working through” the quarterback’s status for Thursday Night Football.
“I’ll lean toward him being active,” McVay said.
He acknowledged it would be “unprecedented” for a quarterback to be ready to play so soon, but believes Mayfield can do it.
“He’s a really sharp, smart, cerebral player that has a great competitiveness to him that you can’t help but like,” McVay said, via Greg Beacham of the Associated Press.
The Rams might not have a choice.
Backup John Wolford, who has started two of the three games Matthew Stafford has missed, is questionable with a neck injury. He was limited in the team’s walkthrough Wednesday.
Third-stringer Bryce Perkins started Week 12 with Stafford out and Wolford’s neck injury keeping him on the sideline as the emergency backup.
The Rams were the only team to put in a waiver claim on Mayfield, who the Panthers released Monday.
“When you have a player of his caliber become available and you look at just the circumstances and the situation surrounding our quarterback room, we felt like it was the right move for us,” McVay said, via Gilbert Manzano of the Orange County Register. “I’ve always respected his game.”