Report: Cowboys And Rams Close To Bobby Carpenter-for-Alex Barron Trade

It appears that the Cowboys and Rams are closing in on finalizing a swap of disappointing former first-round picks. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, a proposed trade of Cowboys linebacker Bobby Carpenter for Rams offensive tackle Alex Barron seems imminent, although nothing is official yet.

For the Cowboys, Barron could help fill the hole of the recently released Flozell Adams, likely competing for the starting spot with incumbent Doug Free. However, given Barron's well-chronicled motivation issues and penchant for penalties, it's difficult to envision him coming out atop Dallas' depth chart. Still, getting anything for Bobby Carpenter, who has been a massive bust in Dallas, likely seems like a win for the Dallas faithful (and front office) at this point.

As for the Rams, Barron became expendable after the team drafted offensive tackle Roger Saffold out of Indiana at the top of the second round of this past draft. Pairing Saffold with last year's first-rounder (and second overall pick) Jason Smith should theoretically leave St. Louis with a pair of solid bookends for the next decade. The one complicating factor is that Barron is a restricted free-agent, meaning he has to sign his tender offer for the trade to go through. And while Carpenter may not be much more than a special teams player for the Rams, their defense is depleted enough that he could get on the field -- and the expectations for him will likely be low enough -- that it's certainly possible the change of scenery could help him jump start his moribund career.

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