Reports: Rams to keep WR Austin after restructure

After being shopped in trades and considered a candidate for release, wide receiver Tavon Austin agreed to a restructured deal and will remain with the Los Angeles Rams, according to multiple reports.

Austin, who turned 27 on Thursday, was entering the first year of a four-year extension signed in August 2016. His scheduled cap hit for 2018 was $8 million, with $5 million in dead money to be incurred if he were traded or released.

According to various reports, the Rams had been shopping Austin with the intention of releasing him if no deal could be found with another team, but the sides instead reached a middle ground. No terms were immediately reported, but the new deal very likely includes a pay cut for Austin, who had a career-low 317 yards from scrimmage in 2017 despite playing in all 16 games.

The No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 draft, Austin had 181 catches and 125 rushes through his first four seasons with the Rams, turning those touches into 2,610 total yards and 20 scores.

His role shrunk and skewed heavily toward the running game in head coach Sean McVay's first season at the helm, as Austin finished with just 13 catches for 47 yards and 59 rushes for 270 yards in 2017. Austin also lost his role as a returner to Pharoh Cooper, who earned a Pro Bowl nod after leading the league in kick-return average (27.4 yards).

Prior to the restructure, Austin's annual average of $10.5 million ranked 19th in the NFL among wide receivers, narrowly behind Larry Fitzgerald and Emmanuel Sanders.

--Field Level Media