TAMPA, Fla. -- When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded strong safety Mark Barron to the St. Louis Rams for a pair of draft picks Tuesday, there was an instant impression among fans that the team was writing off this season and looking ahead to next year.

That’s a logical assumption when you’re talking about a 1-6 team. But coach Lovie Smith shot down that notion Wednesday.

“There’s no truth to it at all," Smith said. "The moves we made we felt like gave us our best chance to win right now as much as anything. Yeah, we picked up a draft pick on both of those players (the Bucs also traded linebacker Jonathan Casillas to New England for a draft pick). But, no, it’s not about the future. Well, it’s always about the future. It’s about our current roster. You don’t trade players unless you feel pretty good about the other players you have."

The fact is that Barron wasn’t the greatest fit in the Tampa 2 defense. Barron is at his best playing in the box and doesn’t excel in pass coverage. That helped make Barron expendable.

“We don’t want a one-dimensional player as far as pass or run," Smith said. "We’re not looking for a safety that can only play the middle of the field and tackle and those things. At the same time, we don’t want a player that can only play in the box. We want a guy that can do both."

But there’s more to it than what Barron could or could not do. The deal also was made because the Bucs have alternatives at that position. Major Wright was with Smith in Chicago and the coaching staff also likes what it has seen out of Bradley McDougald. Smith said McDougald has the best run/pass combination of any of the team’s safeties.

"We like what Major Wright has been able to do. Major Wright has played as well as any of our safeties and he’s got an opportunity," Smith said. "And Bradley McDougald has a bright future ahead of him. That’s what allowed us to make those moves as much as anything."