Atlanta Falcons 2020 Season Preview: Todd Gurley II
It looked like an ordinary run by Todd Gurley II.
Right up the middle for six yards and a first down, Gurley was barely touched by defenders. His Georgia Bulldogs were blowing out the Auburn Tigers midway through the fourth quarter of their November 2014 matchup.
But, six years later, that carry now defines the narrative around Todd Gurley’s 2020 NFL season.
Gurley tore the ACL in his left knee on the play, and after a standout tenure with the Los Angeles Rams, arrives in Atlanta with rumblings of chronic knee injuries stemming all the way back to his college days.
GURLEY’S PRE-ATLANTA DAYS
The injury didn’t hamper Gurley for long.
He was the 10th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. After an inferior second campaign in the league, he bounced back, assembling two consecutive first-team all-pro seasons in 2017 and 2018. Just more than two years ago, he signed a contraction extension that made him the highest-paid running back in the history of professional football.
But that balky knee returned toward the end of the 2018 season. Gurley missed the final two regular-season games and struggled with a lighter workload throughout the playoffs.
Last season, Rams head coach Sean McVay closely monitored Gurley, toning down his workload early in the season. The running back posted career lows in carries (223) and rush yards (857) but still scored 12 touchdowns on the ground.
He sat out one game due to a quad injury — unrelated to any knee troubles.
Still, Los Angeles chopped him from its roster in March. He inked a one-year, $5.5-million deal with the Atlanta Falcons weeks later.
GURLEY’S 2020 OUTLOOK
Gurley’s signing was twofold.
For the Falcons, they got a motivated former all-pro running back on a cheap one-season contract. If he falters, they can move on from him with few repercussions after 2020.
For Gurley, it’s a chance to prove he hasn’t lost a step. He’ll lead Atlanta’s backfield as the unquestioned starter. He passed his physical and spent all offseason trying to demonstrate his leg health.
Late last month, Atlanta offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter told ESPN’s Vaughn McClure that he expects Gurley to receive between 15-25 touches per game. Gurley’s career average is 20 touches a contest, but he dipped below 17 last season.
He won’t have to shoulder the entire offensive load. The Falcons rely on Matt Ryan’s right arm to pack most of the scoring punch. If Gurley can effectively replace Devonta Freeman and fix a rushing attack that ranked 30th in the NFL last year, Atlanta’s offense can do some damage.
Gurley looks healthy.
But looks can be deceiving.
Other Ways To Follow Us
Join the Falcon Report Community!
Subscribe to the Dirty Birds Podcast! Available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio
