Rams ship WR Austin to Cowboys for sixth-round pick
The Los Angeles Rams have traded wide receiver Tavon Austin to the Dallas Cowboys for a sixth-round pick (192nd overall), giving the Rams a whopping seven picks in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Austin was shopped in trades earlier in the offseason and was considered a candidate for release until he agreed to a restructured deal in March.
He figures to help replace the production of Dez Bryant, who was released by the Cowboys this month, and likely provide a spark on special teams.
Austin's restructured contract is for one year at $7 million, per sportsrac.com.
Austin, 27, was entering the first year of a four-year extension averaging $10.5 million annually that was signed in August 2016. His scheduled cap hit for 2018 was $8 million, with $5 million in dead money to be incurred if he were traded or released.
The Rams added speedy wideout Brandin Cooks in a trade with the New England Patriots in April.
Austin had a career-low 317 yards from scrimmage in 2017 despite playing in all 16 games, as the Rams became more run-oriented in head coach Sean McVay's first season at the helm. He finished with just 13 catches for 47 yards and 59 rushes for 270 yards while also losing his job as a returner to Pharoh Cooper. Cooper earned a Pro Bowl nod while leading the league in kick-return average (27.4 yards).
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 draft, Austin had 181 catches and 125 rushes through his first four seasons with the Rams, turning those touches into 2,610 total yards and 20 scores.
Prior to the restructure, Austin's annual average of $10.5 million ranked 19th in the NFL among wide receivers, narrowly behind Larry Fitzgerald and Emmanuel Sanders.
--Field Level Media
