St. Louis acquired receiver Mark Clayton and a 2011…
St. Louis acquired receiver Mark Clayton and a 2011 seventh-round pick from Baltimore for a 2011 sixth-rounder. Clayton started fast with 23 catches for 306 yards and two touchdowns in five games before a knee injury ended his 2010 season, then barely played in 2011. Baltimore used No. 180 on Tyrod Taylor, who became a four-year backup and later a long-time NFL starter elsewhere, giving the Ravens the better result.
Baltimore Ravens Received
- pick 2011 6th round pick (180th overall, Tyrod Taylor )
Los Angeles Rams Received
- player Mark Clayton
- pick 2011 7th round pick (228th overall, Jabara Williams)
Trade Analysis
Why St. Louis Added Clayton
The Rams acquired Mark Clayton from Baltimore just before the 2010 season after injuries left them searching for experienced receiving help around rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. St. Louis sent a 2011 sixth-round pick and received Clayton plus a 2011 seventh-rounder. The small pick difference made the move a reasonable attempt to stabilize the offense.
What Clayton Gave the Rams
Clayton immediately looked like a strong fit. In five games, all starts, he caught 23 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns. A serious knee injury ended his season just as the relationship with Bradford was developing. Clayton returned in 2011 but appeared in only two games, catching three passes for 26 yards. The injury transformed what had looked like a promising bargain into a short-lived rental.
What Baltimore Received
Baltimore used the sixth-round selection, No. 180, on quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Taylor spent four seasons as Joe Flacco's backup, appeared in 14 games for the Ravens and was part of the Super Bowl XLVII championship roster. His later emergence as a starter in Buffalo does not directly belong to Baltimore, but his Ravens tenure still provided inexpensive quarterback depth.
Why This Trade Still Matters
St. Louis cannot be faulted for Clayton's injury, and the seventh-rounder coming back reduced the cost. Hindsight nevertheless favors Baltimore because the Ravens turned the higher selection into a multi-year roster player while Clayton's productive Rams stretch lasted only five games.
Final Verdict
Baltimore Ravens Win. Baltimore earns a B+ for four seasons of Taylor as quarterback depth. St. Louis receives a C because Clayton was productive before injury and the acquisition cost was modest, but the overall return was too brief to match Baltimore's.