Although the Los Angeles Rams have attempted to downplay the reports about running back Todd Gurley’s health this offseason, head coach Sean McVay indicated that his role could be somewhat tempered in the 2019 NFL season.
Gurley is currently nursing a knee injury that is rumored to be much more severe than the Rams have led on. There is now plenty of speculation regarding whether or not he will continue to serve as the focal point of the offense moving forward.
The three-time Pro Bowler has served as the Rams’ workhorse back ever since his arrival prior to the 2015 NFL season. While Los Angeles would love for him to continue in this role, they seemed to have made his health a top priority.
According to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry, McVay suggests that they may have to manage his workload from now on:
“We anticipate Todd being a huge part of this like he has been the last couple years,” McVay said. “As far as managing the workload, those are things that we talk about with Todd and as you continue to get educated on, is that something that we should do for the long haul or something that is or isn’t going to affect Todd most importantly and how does that affect our team.”
The prospect of the Rams giving Gurley fewer touches moving forward is certainly not too far-fetched. They made quite the investment when they made him the highest-paid running back in the league last offseason and it is safe to say that they are still hoping to get some bang for their buck despite the looming reports about his injury.
Fortunately, Los Angeles was able to shore up some insurance policies by re-signing Malcolm Brown and selecting Darrell Henderson in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. It appears both players will have an opportunity to etch out a role for themselves this season.
