As teams reshape during the 2020 NFL free agency period, rumors surrounding Atlanta Falcons Todd Gurley and his landing spots are starting to heat up. After two seasons of disappointing football due to knee inures and inefficiency, Todd Gurley will likely find himself coming into a committee for his new team.
Todd Gurley Landing Spot rumors
Todd Gurley could view San Francisco as a potential landing spot in free agency
From a scheme fit, Todd Gurley saw his best success in the Shanahan-style offense. After all, Sean McVay runs the same offense as they are all a part of the QB Collective.
Todd Gurley is not a guy you want racking up the touches, which works out fine for the 49ers. They are already a team that mixes and matches their running backs on each play based on the situation. While they do have Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson returning, adding Todd Gurley on a team-friendly deal is hard to pass up. San Francisco has $31.29 million in cap space, and it is hard to see him signing for more than $5 million on a one-year deal.
The defending Super Bowl champions are a plausible landing spot for Todd Gurley
Leonard Fournette is a free agent, leaving Ronald Jones and Ke’Shawn Vaughn at running back. Bruce Arians likely wants to bring in a pass-catching option for Tom Brady, and Todd Gurley would fill that role.
Over his six-year career, Gurley averaged 40.5 receptions on 56 targets for 375.5 yards and 2 touchdowns. Also, receiving work is far less grueling on a body than rushing attempts — especially for guys with chronic arthritis.
Tampa Bay is $8.51 million clear of the cap and could be one of the top landing spots for Todd Gurley this offseason.
Former Falcons RB Todd Gurley could land in Denver
The Denver Broncos have allowed RB Phillip Lindsay to hit the open market, creating a void at the RB2 on the depth chart. Behind Melvin Gordon, the Broncos lack any other options. Todd Gurley is not someone you want to feature, but he could serve in the passing game as a receiver and garner 150 touches over the season. According to Spotrac, the Broncos have $28.759 million in cap space, but that number is quickly dwindling.
Kansas City could look be a team firmly in the Todd Gurley rumors
On Tuesday, the Kansas City Chiefs released RB Damien Williams. By releasing the real 2020 Super Bowl MVP, the Chiefs could view Todd Gurley as a potential option to pair with Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Last season, Andy Reid and company brought in Le’Veon Bell midseason, so going for a veteran RB as a depth option fits their style.
What is Todd Gurley’s potential market value in free agency?
Between 2015-2018, Todd Gurley averaged 1,136 rushing yards per season and scored 46 touchdowns. He made three Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2017 and 2018, the latter year representing the Rams’ Super Bowl appearance. It can’t just be me that feels as if this was a decade ago?
Then 2019 hit. After an offseason fueled by speculation surrounding his Super Bowl usage, Gurley showed signs of knee injuries hampering his play on the field. Rushing 223 times in 15 games, Gurley rushed for just 857 yards but did score 12 touchdowns. We quickly forget that going into the 2019 season, the Rams believed in Gurley enough to sign him to a four-year, $60 million extension that reset the market for the position.
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2020 did not go any better for Todd Gurley following his release from the Rams. Appearing in 15 games, Todd Gurley rushed only 195 times for 678 yards and 9 touchdowns as the Falcons kept him on a snap count. From Week 8 through the rest of the season, Gurley never saw more than 9 carries or had over 26 rushing yards. His 3.5 yards per carry in 2020 were the lowest of his career. When looking at the overall landscape and for potential landing spots for Todd Gurley, it is hard to find teams willing to give much more than a one-year deal worth less than $4 million.
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Tommy Garrett is a writer for Pro Football Network covering the NFL and fantasy football. You can read more of his work here and follow him at @TommygarrettPFN on Twitter.