NFL Trade Deadline 2014: Final Analysis and Reaction

The 2014 NFL trade deadline came and went, and no one seemed to notice.

Despite plenty of speculation surrounding potential trades for big-name players, 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday passed with more of a whimper than a bang, with only two small deals coming to fruition. ESPN's Adam Caplan summed it up perfectly:

This has been the case in most years, as coaches tend to hang on to players they previously acquired via the draft, trade or free agency. Sometimes, players can be dealt when a new coaching regime comes to town, and that may be the reason why Lovie Smith's Tampa Bay Buccaneers were involved in both of Tuesday's transactions.

So, which players can now call themselves former Buccaneers? Here's a look at both moves from an uneventful trade deadline.

Buccaneers Trade Mark Barron to Rams

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ESPN's Adam Schefter was the first to announce the deal sending safety Mark Barron to the St. Louis Rams. Here's a look at the initial tweet, followed by the compensation given to Tampa Bay:

Barron was a former first-round selection by the Buccaneers, but he hasn't quite lived up to the billing. While he's been great in run support up at the line of scrimmage, he tends to be a bit of a liability in coverage. That's been the case since he came into the league in 2012.

Pro Football Focus tweeted about Barron's strength:

"

In 2013, Mark Barron ranked second among safeties with a Run Stop Percentage of 10.9% when lined up in the box.

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) October 28, 2014"

The move does make sense for both teams. Obviously, the Buccaneers didn't feel too highly about the safety in their current system and were more than happy to move him at a discounted rate. The St. Louis Rams get a good deal for a player who should be able to help their 31st-ranked run defense.

With Barron moving to St. Louis, the Rams needed to clear up some roster space, and Caplan tweeted who was the odd man out:

With Dashon Goldson residing at free safety in Tampa Bay, the open starting strong safety position will likely be filled by Bradley McDougald. Barron's addition makes him the seventh safety residing on the St. Louis roster.

Buccaneers Trade Jonathan Casillas to Patriots

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The Buccaneers also shipped Jonathan Casillas, a sixth-year linebacker, to the New England Patriots on Tuesday. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe confirmed the transaction:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport tweeted the terms of the deal:

This marked his second season in Tampa Bay after spending three seasons with the New Orleans Saints. Casillas' big year came in 2011 when he recorded 43 tackles and three sacks in 13 games, but he's never been viewed as a starting-caliber player.

Although, former NFL scout Russell Lande thinks highly of Casillas' pass-rushing ability:

Volin reported the team released offensive lineman Chris Barker to make room on the roster for the linebacker. This move obviously comes due to New England's need for depth at the linebacker position due to several key injuries within the unit this season.