The Atlanta Falcons swapped out running back Devonta Freeman for Todd Gurley during the offseason, and while the move would appear to be an upgrade, not everyone is buying in.
Gurley topped 1,000 all-purpose yards and ran for 12 touchdowns in 2019, however, he wasn’t quite as effective as he’s been in previous seasons. His average yards per carry dipped from 4.9 Y.P.C. in 2018 to 3.8 Y.P.C. in 2019, leading to his eventual release from the Los Angeles Rams back in March.
That regression is reflected in Maurice Jones-Drew’s 2020 starting running back rankings for NFL.com. The former Georgia standout was listed all the way down at No. 19:
For the first time in his career, Gurley won’t be the featured player in the offense. The Falcons’ offense goes through Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Co., so expect Gurley to face fewer loaded boxes than he did with the Rams. The first-year Falcons back should have a big year in 2020, but he sits at No. 19 here because there are simply too many mouths to feed.
The Falcons are expecting a bounce-back season for Gurley in 2020 after signing him to a one-year deal worth roughly $5.5 million. And while that seems like a bargain for the former tenth-overall pick, Atlanta had very little cap space to play with, so it’s still a risk for GM Thomas Dimitroff.
Whether or not the gamble on Gurley pays off could be a key factor in the team’s success or failure this season.
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