It’s been a rollercoaster ride for running back Cut Todd Gurley in the past 24 hours. Gurley was first cut by Los Angeles Rams in a shocking move on Thursday, and then signed with Atlanta Falcons just one day after.
Despite Gurley being one of their most prominent players in the last five years, Rams decided to cut him in order to get allow themselves some cap flexibility. The 25-year-old, who was 10th overall pick in 2015, struggled with injuries last season while having career-low productivity in rushing yards with 857 and only 3.8 yards per carry. While this would be ok for a middle-tier back, it wasn’t good enough for Gurley and his $15 million salary.
By releasing Gurley, who was also on a trade block but no teams were interested, Rams are left with $11.75 million in dead money. However, the team can spread the cap hit in 2020 and 2021, while saving an additional $5.5 million.
Todd Gurley didn’t wait for too long to find another team, as he was quickly picked up by the Falcons. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Gurley inked a one-year deal, which will become official once he passes his medical.
Gurley was one of the league’s best running backs before last season, establishing himself as a threat in both aerial and ground game. However, following the knee injury towards the end of the 2018 NFL season, he was never the same player.
After virtually being a non-factor in Rams’ road to Super Bowl in 2018, Gurley saw his usage dropped down in 2019. While he managed to stay on the field, he rarely showed glimpses of his previous form, which is what eventually got him out of LA. He will now hope that a more prominent role and change of scenery will get his career back on track.
