Rams cut WR Keenan Burton to free up roster spot for WR Mark Clayton

When the St. Louis Rams swung a deal with the Ravens for WR Mark Clayton, they had to make a corresponding move to keep their roster at 53 players, per league rules. 

It was widely believed that one of the rookies on the team would get bumped to the practice squad, specifically WR Dominique Curry. Instead, the Rams cut WR Keenan Burton, a fourth round pick in the 2008 draft. 

Burton's greatest strength was also his greatest weakness. A propensity to catch balls in thick, rough traffic in the middle of the field infused Burton with the potential to be a nice possession receiver; however, that same ability also helped make for frequent appearances on the injury list. He was shut down with a knee injury last year before the season ended. A dedicated guy, Burton came into training camp this year with a single-minded purpose of making himself an indispensable part of the offense. Though he looked sharp in practices, injuries limited his total workload. Needing a big outing in the final game of the preseason, Burton caught just one pass. 

Burton did contribute on special teams, but that was an area where Curry really stood out in the preseason. By adding Mark Clayton the Rams gave themselves another capable set of hands on the offense, and they have similar, better options in Brandon Gibson and Mardy Gilyard. In the end, I'm sure the decision between Curry and Burton came down to special teams contributions.