Rams trade for Mark Clayton; Keenan Burton cut

The Rams traded their 6th-round pick next year to the Ravens in exchange for wide receiver Mark Clayton and Baltimore's 7th-round pick next year. Clayton became expendable in Baltimore after they signed T.J. Houshmandzadeh after he was (mindlessly) cut by Seattle.

Keenan Burton has been released to make room for Clayton on the roster.

Clayton played five years in Baltimore; he's 28 years old, 5'10", 190. He was drafted in 2005 out of Oklahoma, the 22nd player overall, the fifth wide receiver. Get a load of the first four: Braylon Edwards, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams, and right before Clayton at #21, drugboy Matt Jones. About the only decent WRs to come out of that whole draft were Roddy White at #27 and Vincent Jackson at #61.

At the 2005 NFL Combine, Clayton ran a 4.41 40, 4.07 short shuttle and a 6.95 3-cone. His vertical jump was 36.5", broad jump 9'10". He did not bench press. The 40 and short shuttle times would have been toward the top at this year's Combine, but he'd have been well off in the jumping categories. The 2010 WR prospect most resembling Clayton is Citadel's Andre Roberts, a third-round pick by the Big Dead. Clayton is a communications major who completed his degree this past year.

Clayton's best season was 2006: 67 receptions, 939 yards, 5 TDs. He really hasn't been close to those numbers since. Last year: 34-480, 2 TD. He has 9 100-yard games in his career, currently the Ravens franchise record.

CBS Sports paints Clayton as a good replacement for Donnie Avery, expecting his speed on the Rams' "fast turf" to gain him opportunities to make plays in space. Many Ravens fans are unhappy with the trade because they feel Clayton represented their only dangerous deep threat. He has good hands and will make good catches over the middle and in a crowd. One of the criticisms of Clayton in Baltimore, though, was that he couldn't get separation, and Baltimore uses about the same turf as the Rams do. He has trouble getting off the jam. He's small and has never played up to his potential. A good character guy, though, another "Four Pillars" player. Active in the community and well-liked in the locker room.

Fun fact: Born in Arlington, Texas, Mark is the only player in the NFL with a chance to play the Super Bowl in his hometown this season. Though I fear being traded from Baltimore has reduced his chances quite a bit.

The Rams got a high-character player here who should help them at a critical-need position and help them stretch the field, and did not pay much of a price at all to get him. I'd have to call this a very good trade for the team.

Clayton's listed as probable on this week's injury report due to a mild concussion suffered in the Ravens' third preseason game.