Todd Gurley to Titans? 3 reasons why this move makes sense after releasing Adrian Peterson
Much to Todd Gurley's benefit, the Adrian Peterson era of the Tennessee Titans is now over. It lasted three games.
With Peterson now gone, the Titans will be looking for another player to fill the Derrick Henry-sized void at running back. With Tennessee now over Peterson, Gurley could be the next logical choice.
Here are three reasons why the Titans should give Gurley a shot.
Three reasons why the Tennessee Titans should give Todd Gurley a call
#1 - Younger than Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson is 37 years old. At that age at running back, a number of factors are at play to their detriment.
The biggest one is that they are simply not as explosive as their counterparts in their 20s. No matter what, they simply cannot match the power and speed of the other younger players. Todd Gurley doesn't have his age working against him.
News: the Titans have waived RB Adrian Peterson.
At 27 years old, Gurley is a full decade younger than Peterson. He's much more explosive and quicker in how he attacks openings. He's also twitchier with better reaction time. A quicker reaction time could give Gurley the time needed to dodge a defender. Whereas Peterson could be hit and then react, Gurley could react before getting hit, giving him a better shot at slipping the tackle.
The #Titans waived RB Adrian Peterson. Possible he returns. For now, Dontrell Hilliard is up to the active roster after picking up 82 yards from scrimmage on Sunday.
#2 - Playoff experience
Todd Gurley has plenty of playoff experience. Considering the Titans are leading the AFC right now, playoff experience should be one of the first items on their shopping list. Gurley has been to the playoffs twice and has played in a Super Bowl.
As a result of this experience, he will not panic or break under the pressure of the moment. Whereas other players may fumble the ball or run a bad route as a result of the pressure getting to them, Gurley would remain focused. Sometimes, it doesn't matter what a team has or hasn't done in the regular season. The difference could be who can seize the moment while it is happening.
Gurley hasn't done anything in the regular season, but he could do something in the moment as it is happening.
#3 - Hope for Derrick Henry-level production
The Titans have hit a wall without Derrick Henry. To get their offense back, they need to run the ball effectively. It is clear that none of the running backs on the roster can do this to a Henry-esque level. However, Gurley offers that hope. As recently as 2019, Gurley came close to being a 1000-yard rusher and scored 12 touchdowns.
Of course, the idea that he's going to jump in and be a 2000-yard level rusher like Henry is asking for too much. That said, if he can be half as productive as Henry on a game-by-game basis, he could help keep a defense honest. That was one of the biggest aspects of Henry that worked for the offense. By running well, they helped loosen up the secondary for Ryan Tannehill.
If Gurley could do just enough to keep a defense honest and open the passing game, the Titans would be back. As an added bonus, if Henry returns this season, having a Gurley-Henry duo would be scary. It could be enough to get to a Super Bowl on its own.
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