The Ravens traded wide receiver Mark Clayton to the St. Louis Rams for a late-round pick.
The move comes after the Ravens signed free-agent receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Clayton was a 2005 first-round pick by the Ravens but he struggled with his consistency. His catches have dropped the past three seasons. His 34 catches last season were a career low.
Still, Clayton had one of his best training camps with the Ravens. He outplayed Donte' Stallworth and worked as the No. 3 wide receiver in the preseason.
"You never reach a point when it’s easy to release or trade a player you respect," general manager Ozzie Newsome said. "Everyone here has the highest regard for Mark. He’ll help the Rams, and it’s good for him that they reached out to get him."
Clayton's best season came in 2006 with quarterback Steve McNair. He led the team with 939 receiving yards.
In 2008, Clayton ranked second in receptions (41) but led the Ravens with a 17.1-yard per catch average.
Last season, he was fourth on the team with 34 catches. But he managed just one reception in two postseason games.
This causes additional chaos with the fluid wide receiver situation in St. Louis. Clayton will be the most experienced receiver on the St. Louis roster, but hardly fills their need for a number one receiver. Don't expect Clayton to do anything exciting right away as he'll have to find his niche in the offense.
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