The Rams took a major step toward upgrading their receiver corps Friday, acquiring receiver Sammy Watkins in a trade that sent cornerback E.J. Gaines to the Buffalo Bills.
The Rams also gave up a second-round pick in the 2018 draft and acquired a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft in the deal.
Watkins, 24, was the fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft after playing in college at Clemson.
He caught 65 passes and scored six touchdowns as a rookie, and had 60 catches and nine touchdowns in 2015.
"He is going to help add some depth to that receiver room," coach Sean McVay said during a charity luncheon Friday, adding, "We want to make sure we are using the width and depth of the field in the pass game and a player like Sammy Watkins definitely gives you the ability to do that."
"Sammy has proven he can be a productive player and an explosive receiver in this league, we look forward to having him in a Rams uniform," Rams general manager Les Snead said in a statement. "We want to thank E.J. for all he has contributed to our organization since we drafted him in 2014."
Last season, because of a foot injury, Watkins was limited to eight games. He caught 28 passes, two for touchdowns.
Watkins is coming off January foot surgery. He will earn $3.1 million this season in the final year of his rookie contract.
His injury problems _ he was sidelined for 11 games the last two seasons _ caused the Bills to pass on exercising their fifth-year option, which would have cost about $13.3 million.
Watkins caught four passes _ including three on the Bills' first three plays _ in Buffalo's 17-10 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday.
Snead said the Rams had been "flirting with Buffalo and Sammy" since spring.
The talks intensified after the Bills declined to exercise their fifth-year option on Watkins and the Rams declined to exercise their fifth-year option on since-traded offensive tackle Greg Robinson.
"He's 24," Snead said when asked about whether this was a long-range move. "You don't just do it for the now, although we do think he'll help the now."
Snead said the Rams studied Watkins' injury history.
"When you dove into it, we felt comfortable taking the risk," he said.
Watkins, 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds, joins a receiving corps that includes former Bills teammate Robert Woods, Tavon Austin and rookie Cooper Kupp.
And he gives the Rams a legitimate deep threat.
That has been an element sorely lacking during training camp, and one that is important to McVay's offense.
Austin and rookie Josh Reynolds have been sidelined because of hamstring injuries. Mike Thomas is suspended for the first four games of the regular season because of a violation of the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy.
Last season with the Washington Redskins, McVay called plays for an offense that featured DeSean Jackson, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Anytime you can go one play 80 yards, that always is a lot easier as a play caller and as an offense," McVay said this week. "It softens coverages and it eliminates you having to go 12 and 15 plays down the field because of the ability to create the explosive" plays.
Gaines was beginning his fourth season with the Rams and was on track to back up Kayvon Webster.
He had a solid rookie season in 2014, but was sidelined in the 2015 season because of a foot injury. Last season, he played in 11 games but was slowed by several injuries.
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