LA Rams RB Todd Gurley follows former teammate Fowler to Falcons

Former LA Rams RB Todd Gurley was spent less than 24 hours without a job, as he has already signed on with the Atlanta Falcons

The LA Rams decided to outright release star running back Todd Gurley on Thursday, March 20, 2020. The Atlanta Falcons, some  2,182 miles away, decided to sign star running back on Friday, March 21, 2020, less than 24 hours later.

While many fans have publicly stated concerns for his health, and most importantly, his knees, the short duration of time with Gurley in the Free Agency market suggests even if he is at 80 percent, that 80 percent is better than most players at 100 percent.

Per Zach Klein, sports director for WSB-TV, Gurley has signed a one-year deal worth $5 million.  That was an important piece to releasing Gurley, as the Rams can offset his 2021 salary cap hit by $2.5 million as we had reported yesterday.

Gurley will find the running much easier at Atlanta, where the team’s offensive line was ranked 24th by Pro Football Focus for 2019.  That same article ranked the Los Angeles Rams line at a dismal 31st.

The Falcons were one of the teams in discussions with the Rams over trading for him. But that Rams contract scared every team away, forcing the Rams to tear it up and allow Gurley to negotiate his own new deal. But now, with all pieces having reset, the former Rams running back can prove himself to the Falcons and to the entire NFL in 2020.

We had posted an article on possible landing spots for Gurley hours ago. In that article, we listed the Atlanta Falcons as a likely destination.  The reason was pretty simple.  The Falcons offense was no longer with running back Devonta Freeman. And the role that Freeman vacated is already custom built for Gurley’s next NFL chapter. The announcement marks the second player signed by the Falcons from the LA Rams, as they had formerly won out in the pursuit of free-agent outside linebacker Dante Fowler Jr.

This will be a clean slate for Todd Gurley, and back to the drawing board for the LA Rams. The LA Rams still have plenty of work to do, so let’s await their next move.