NFL Offseason 2020: Every team’s biggest misstep in free agency and the draft

Atlanta Falcons: Signing Todd Gurley

It’s a homecoming that has Atlanta Falcons hyped. Released by the Los Angeles Rams only two seasons after signing a massive four-year, $60 million extensions ($45 million of which was guaranteed), running back Todd Gurley returned to the state where he became famous.

As a member of the Georgia Bulldogs, Gurley was phenomenal. He was twice honored with First-Team All-SEC selections and once as a Second-Team member. That led to him going 10th overall in the 2015 NFL Draft and he was even the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Gurley was dominant for a stretch too for the Rams but then at the end of 2018, trouble started to pop up. Gurley spent far too much time on the sidelines during the team’s run to the Super Bowl which led to speculation that something could be seriously wrong with his knee that had been giving him issues in the past.

Those fears were realized by reports that he could be suffering from arthritis and then after averaging just 3.8 yards per rush and a career-low 6.7 per catch last year, he was released. Just a few weeks after being let go, he landed in Atlanta where he will replace another oft-injured back in Devonta Freeman, who was cut by the Dirty Birds not long after his massive extension.

In the south, college football is king so fans in the Atlanta area are remembering the kid who tore it up in Athens while running wild for the Bulldogs. Unfortunately, that’s not the same player they’re getting in 2020. And to make matters worse, the Falcons didn’t get much help at the position behind Gurley meaning if he misses time, Brian Hill and Ito Smith will be relied upon.

Atlanta was right to move on from Freeman but landing Gurley didn’t improve things, but just put them in a very familiar position with a guy who just happens to be much more popular in the area.