NFL Rumors: LA Rams RB Todd Gurley return in question

Arthritis confirmed

That narrative was indeed confirmed by the Rams when sports trainer Travelle Gaines discussed Gurley’s knee with CBS reporter Dave Richard:

"“Everybody knew when Todd came out of Georgia that there would be some kind of arthritic component to his knee, which is part of every surgery whether it’s a shoulder, a knee, an ankle,” Gaines said late last week. “He’s now at the year-five mark, all we’re doing is managing that. If we can pound him less in the offseason while keeping his weight down, working on his strength, working on his agility in short areas, that’s going to give him a better chance to be healthy Weeks 14 through 17 when they really count.”"

The plan to keep Gurley fresh for weeks 14 through 17 did not pan out.  The Rams last four opponents in 2019 were the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, and Arizona Cardinals.  Gurley ran a collective 69 carries for 207 yards and 4 touchdowns. That averages 17 carries and 52 yards with 1 touchdown per game.

Arthiritis is not a casual ailment to an NFL running back. It extends recovery times for subsequent injuries, limits the ceiling for recovery, and start a clock ticking on how long a player can successfully compete at the NFL level.  That clock has been ticking down for Gurley now for several years.