Credit to STL Post Dispatch:
Alex Barron in all likelihood has played his last game as a Ram. The Rams are close to sending Barron to Dallas for linebacker Bobby Carpenter, according to NFL sources.
Barron is amenable to the trade and is looking forward to a fresh start with a high-profile playoff-caliber team. The trade cannot be made official until Barron signs his one-year tender with the Rams as a restricted free agent.
In addition, both Barron and Carpenter must pass physical exams, which is standard procedure for all trades. As of early Thursday evening, however, the Rams were still working out some details.
One detail the Rams could be negotiating is a one-time playing incentive of $1.9 million that Carpenter could receive this year. It looks like he would be the Rams' starting weakside linebacker in a trade, in which case the incentive would activate easily if Carpenter stays healthy.
Carpenter also is due to earn a base salary of $1.19 million this year, the last year of his original rookie contract. Drafted 18th overall in 2006 out of Ohio State, Carpenter has been a disappointment with the Cowboys.
In four seasons with the Cowboys, he has started only one regular-season and one playoff game. Despite his size — 6-feet-2 and 250 pounds — Carpenter has a reputation for not being a physical player. But he runs well and was effective last season as a nickel linebacker in passing situations.
Carpenter finished with career highs of 46 tackles and two sacks in '09. Although he was a backup inside linebacker in the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme, he probably is best suited to playing weakside linebacker for a 4-3 team such as the Rams.
Should the trade go through, the Rams could have an all-Ohio State unit of starting linebackers with Carpenter on the weak side, off-season pickup Na'il Diggs on the strong side, and James Laurinaitis in the middle.
Barron has been dangled as trade bait during the offseason by the Rams. Even though he was tendered at a first-round level ($2.621 million) as a restricted free agent, the Rams sought only second-round compensation. In addition, the team was willing to take a third-round draft pick if Barron got an offer from another team.
But the April 15 deadline for restricted free agent offer sheets came and went without an offer for Barron. A week later, when the Rams used their pick at the top of the second round, No. 33 overall, for Indiana University offensive tackle Rodger Saffold, it appeared that Barron's days with the Rams would be numbered.
Chosen No. 19 overall in the 2005 draft by the Rams out of Florida State, Barron has played in 76 NFL games, including 74 starts. In Dallas, Barron probably would be the Cowboys' swing tackle at the outset, backing up both the left and right tackle spots.
Minus Barron, the Rams plan to start second-year...
-05-07-2010, 01:12 AM
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