Rams acquire Mark Barron from Buccaneers for 4th, 6th-round picks
The St. Louis Rams have made a trade deadline move to upgrade their secondary, acquiring safety - and former first-round pick - Mark Barron from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Rams gave up fourth- and sixth-round picks in the deal.
Barron was drafted seventh overall by the Buccaneers in 2012, and was supposed to be the Bucs' answer to Jimmy Graham in the NFC South.
“We took Mark Barron in the first round simply because of Jimmy Graham,” said Butch Davis, former special assistant to head coach Greg Schiano, while testifying as an expert in Jimmy Graham's arbitration case.
The Rams have struggled mightily at safety, starting Rodney McLeod and 2013 third-round pick T.J. McDonald at the position for most of this season. According to Pro Football Focus, McDonald has the fourth-worst grade of any safety this season, and has been particularly bad in coverage.
The Rams released quarterback Case Keenum to free up a roster spot for Barron.