The St. Louis Rams acquired safety Mark Barron from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a fourth and sixth round pick during this upcoming NFL Draft on Tuesday, October 28. The move came earlier in the morning just before the trade deadline ended, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Barron was drafted seventh overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Lovie Smith and the Bucs decided to part ways with the young safety, because he didn’t fit Tampa Bay’s current defensive scheme.
The former Alabama standout hasn’t lived up to his draft status. In three seasons, Barron started 37 games and picked up 177 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks. He has struggled in coverage, but he is one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league. Barron will join a Rams team that has struggled in the secondary, particularly on the physicality spectrum.
The Rams will inherit the remainder of Barron’s rookie salary. He is slated to make $1.7 million this year, $2.3 million next year and also has a 2016 option. If Barron can thrive under Gregg Williams’s defensive scheme, it can by a low risk, high reward type of transaction for the Rams.
The Rams released QB Case Keenum in order to open a spot on the 53-man roster.
Source: NBCSports.com, Pro-football-reference.com
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