The Rams have released star RB Todd Gurley and LB Clay Mathews. Sorry Clay, but this whole blog is going to be about Todd Gurley. Gurley was the face of the franchise – if Rams superfan YG is repping your jersey, you know it’s your team.
Gurley had been with the Rams since before their move to Los Angeles, and it sucks that he’ll never be able to call SoFi Stadium home. He endured the pain and suffering through the Jeff Fisher years and was a big reason they were able to reach the Super Bowl in 2018. Claiming the 2017 NFL Offensive POY, the Rams signed Gurley to a huge extension before the 2018 season for four years and $60 million – making him the highest paid running back in NFL history. And despite leading the league in touchdowns for the second straight year, Gurley’s knee became an issue, forcing him to sit out the final two games of the 2018 regular season.
Gurley’s usage continued to decline in 2019 as he rushed for a career-low 857 yards. As tough as it is for me to admit, I think this trade might be in the best interest of both the Rams and Gurley, who probably feels like he should be getting 20 touches per game. And for the Rams, this move is yet another in a trend of cleaning house this offseason. Sean McVay and the Rams have already parted ways with several coaches including special teams coordinator John Fassel, defensive coordinator Wade Philips, and running backs coach Skip Peete which should’ve tipped us off about Gurley.
As far as we know, Gurley’s knee is healthy right now, which is why this move is all the more surprising. Although, with it being a huge question mark the entire 2019 season, it seems like McVay would just rather start from scratch. This move also saves the Rams million$ in cap space, which is why I can appreciate it from a business perspective – why keep a guy you’re not 100% confident you can run your offense through (when he costs as much as Gurley)? Alternatively, I’m a big homegrown talent guy. Nothing fires me up more than when a player my team drafted and nurtured becomes a stud…Gurley was one of those guys. As great as trading for premier talent is, there’s a different sense of pride fans take in being able to call a player exclusively theirs.
It’s actually incredible how many moves the Rams have made this offseason in preparation for their first year in SoFi Stadium. It’s also remarkable how well Todd Gurley took the news that he had been fired.
Damn I got fired on my day off😂 #QuaratineAndChill
— Todd Gurley II (@TG3II) March 19, 2020
At his healthiest, Gurley is a top 5 running back and one of the most electric players in the league and I truly wish him nothing but the best in the future. As far as the future of the Rams goes, it’s easy to question the youngest head coach in the league especially after a disappointing 9-7 record last season, but as calculated and smart as Sean McVay is, I think he knows what he’s doing. But, if Gurley comes back with a vengeance next season with another team, the only logical thing for McVay to do is blame this decision on having the Coronavirus and not being in the right state of mind.
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