5. Falcons Sign Todd Gurley

The cap space strapped Los Angeles Rams decided to release Todd Gurley in March to gain $5.5 million in cap relief from the four-year $60 million contract extension he signed in 2018, making him an unrestricted free agent. With the need for a veteran running back, Atlanta Falcons capitalized on this opportunity to sign the 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year to a one-year, $6 million deal.

Gurley had arguably the best season of his career in 2018, the same season when the Rams lost 13-3 to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. He appeared in 14 regular-season games and posted 1,831 total yards from scrimmage and 21 combined touchdowns. His performance dropped off in the playoffs and after the Super Bowl loss, reports came out that Gurley has arthritis in his left knee most likely from a Grade 3 ACL tear in 2014 that ended his final season with the Georgia Bulldogs.

This report has drawn a lot of speculation around whether his arthritis contributed to his playoff performance. During his final season with the Rams, Gurley provided diminished results from his usual standards, almost as if he had lost a step. For reference, his average for yards per carry dropped to 3.8 in 2019, down by 1.0 compared to the two seasons prior.

For the Falcons, signing Gurley is a smart move since all it required was a low-cost one-year deal, minimizing any long term risks. The worst-case for the Falcons is they get a running back at his worst will preform better than Devonta Freeman did last season. The best-case is that Gurley returns to his previous levels of production, giving Atlanta a superstar running back.