© Kirby Lee | 2019 Dec 29
ATLANTA (AP) — A person familiar with the deal says the Atlanta Falcons have agreed to a one-year deal with three-time Pro Bowl running back Todd Gurley,
The person told The Associated Press about the agreement on Friday on condition of anonymity because the deal will not be official until Gurley passes a physical. The league isn’t allowing players to report to new teams immediately for those physicals during the coronavirus pandemic.
Gurley will be making a return to the state of Georgia. He was a standout at the University of Georgia, rushing for more than 3,000 yards in three seasons.
The agreement with the 25-year-old Gurley comes less than a week after the Falcons released running back Devonta Freeman. Atlanta ranked only 30th in the NFL in rushing in 2019 and are hoping for a significant boost from Gurley.
Gurlley was released by the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, minutes before $10.5 million in his contract became fully guaranteed.
Gurley has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in three of his five seasons with the Rams. He ran for a career-low 857 yards with the Rams last season. His average of 3.8 yards per carry was the second-lowest of his career.
Gurley’s physical will be especially important. He had a persistent left knee injury that limited his effectiveness down the stretch in 2018. The issue remained last season, even though he played in 15 games.
When healthy, Gurley has been one of the league’s most productive backs as a runner and receiver. He leads the NFL with 58 rushing touchdowns since he joined the league in 2015. His 5,404 yards rushing in that span rank second in the league, only one year behind Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott (5,405).
Gurley, a 2015 first-round pick, signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Rams in June 2018, making him the league’s highest-paid running back at the time. The deal included $45 million in guaranteed earning. Gurley was cut before even playing the first year of that extension.
The agreement with Gurley is the second significant move of free agency for the Falcons. The team addressed another pressing need by agreeing to a $48 million, three-year deal with outside linebacker Dante Fowler on Wednesday. Fowler is expected to boost the team’s pass rush, a chronic weak spot.
Gurley joins an Atlanta offense that also includes quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley.
The Falcons’ offense suffered a hit when tight end Austin Hooper, a two-time Pro Bowler, agreed to a deal with the Cleveland Browns. Atlanta acquired tight end Hayden Hurst from the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. The Falcons added Hurst and a 2020 fourth-round pick from the Ravens in exchange for second- and fifth-round picks in this year’s draft.
Atlanta also cut cornerback Desmond Trufant, offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo and tight end Luke Stocker this week, clearing salary cap space for other moves.