‘You felt his presence all day’: Canadian pass rusher Wesley Bailey earns rave reviews from Sean McVay after L.A. Rams preseason victory

Photo courtesy: Brevin Townsell/Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams wiped the floor with the New Orleans Saints in their second preseason game, and a promising young Canadian pass rusher played a big role in that.

Wesley Bailey, an undrafted free agent from Ottawa, Ont., racked up five total tackles, a sack, and a tackle for loss. He also forced a key fumble in the red zone, helping the Rams secure a 34-0 shutout.

“I thought you felt his presence all day. He did a great job,” head coach Sean McVay raved post-game. “Played a bunch of snaps. He’s gotten a lot of reps, even just because of some of the injuries that we’ve had throughout camp or guys being out, where he’s taking reps with the ones. He’s playing a lot of reps in both of these preseason games. I thought his body of work today, compared to last week, it was improvement, and he did some really good things last week. To be able to force the fumble, I’ve mentioned it before, there are certain guys you just kind of feel on defence where they’re making their presence felt, and that was how I felt about Wes Bailey all day today.”

In addition to the regular counting stats, Bailey was credited with 10 total pressures against the Saints and produced four hits on the quarterback. He made his presence felt early with a violent push-pull move off the left edge to sack former first-round pick Zach Wilson. In the third quarter, he popped the ball loose from five-year veteran Ty Chandler at the two-yard line when it seemed like he would score.

Wesley Bailey gets to the QB 😤

📺 @CBSLosAngeles | 📲 https://t.co/UrUy0EOL9I pic.twitter.com/0AfB2CvOoT

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 22, 2026

Speaking with Darren Haynes of Sports Central Los Angeles post-game, Bailey downplayed the performance.

“End of the day, bro, I had a lot of opportunities, and I’m just grateful to be a part of this Rams organization and take advantage of the opportunities shown to me,” he said. “First time playing at SoFi Stadium, so just beyond blessed.”

Bailey began his collegiate career at Rutgers University (2020-24) before transferring to the University of Louisville for the 2025 season. In total, he played 48 NCAA games, including 41 starts, recorded 110 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks, six pass knockdowns, and four fumble recoveries.

The six-foot-five, 260-pound edge rusher began to generate buzz at Louisville’s pro day in March, when he ran a 4.69-second 40-yard dash, 4.50-second shuttle, 7.00-second three-cone drill, produced a 35-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot, one-inch broad jump and pumped 225 pounds on the bench press 27 times.

After he went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Rams took a shot on those elite athletic traits. Thus far, they have not been disappointed. In his preseason debut, a 20-12 win over Kansas City, he notched two tackles and two pressures. This week, he exploded with an outing that may move him into contention for a roster spot — whether he wants to admit it or not.

“Honestly, you gotta take everything day by day. I wouldn’t say it does anything for me personally,” Bailey said. “Just keep working with the staff, D-line coach, DC, and just keep trying to get better and take everything day by day, step by step.”

Bailey was the fourth-ranked prospect in the 2026 CFL Draft, but fell to the second round due to his NFL opportunity. The Edmonton Elks own his rights after selecting him with the 19th overall pick, though it is looking less likely that he’ll be in green and gold anytime soon.

The Rams are slated to conclude their preseason on Thursday, August 27, when they visit the Los Angeles Chargers at 10:00 p.m. EDT. Final cuts have to be made by Sunday, August 30, at 6:00 p.m. EDT.