Why can't Todd Gurley find a job in 2021?
NFL fans may have forgotten just how recent it was when Todd Gurley was dominating the league. He was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 draft and was an All-Pro in 2018.
His name has popped up in the minds of NFL fans this week after seeing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Le'Veon Bell. The same was true when the Baltimore Ravens were signing running backs earlier this year, including Bell, and Gurley's name never came up.
So why is the 27-year-old currently not on an NFL roster? Or at least being given another opportunity at making a team? A few factors seem to be playing into why he cannot land a job.
Why is Todd Gurley not in the NFL?
Gurley's path to his present situation began late in the 2018 season. He was a first-team All-Pro and the Los Angeles Rams made it to the Super Bowl. But problems started to arise when he missed the final few games of the regular season with a knee issue.
Gurley was barely used in the Super Bowl as the Rams struggled to score a total of three points against the New England Patriots. The ultimate diagnosis was arthritis in the knee of a player who was just reaching his prime.
Just a vintage Todd Gurley run. Avoids the free tackler in the backfield, stiff arms the next open tackler, then races through the endzone. Sean McVays first meeting against Arizona, 2017 https://t.co/jW9kxuBstC
He spent 2019 with the Rams, rushed for 857 yards and saw his receiving total drop down to 207 yards. That led to him being released even though he signed a $60 million extension before the 2018 season.
Financial reasons played into this decision, but the Rams would not have cut Gurley if they believed he was still an All-Pro player. His value was clear around the NFL when the Atlanta Falcons signed him to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million in 2020. That is not a small amount of money, but is nowhere near the $45 million in guaranteed money the Rams handed him.
Gurley ran for 678 yards and did not re-sign as the Falcons clearly did not see him as part of the team moving forward. The former All-Pro was not his old self with the Falcons, but showed his worth as a potential reserve back for other teams in the NFL. He also appeared in 15 games last year, proving he was still somewhat durable.
Todd Gurley hits paydirt! @TG3II #RiseUpATL
📺: #DENvsATL on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: bit.ly/3kc6qcz https://t.co/9PDkt0LTFl
There are two likely explanations for him still not having a job. The first is that Gurley is demanding more money than any team is willing to offer. Even something around the $5.5 million he earned with Atlanta may be deemed too high around the NFL.
The other is that his troubled past with injuries has put NFL teams off, despite his healthy season last year in Atlanta. Regardless, Gurley would have to pass a physical to join any organization, which should highlight any chronic ailments that teams might not deem worth the risk.
No matter the reason, it remains a surprise that Gurley is out of the league at age 27. Perhaps he could go the Le'Veon Bell route and get another shot after some time away from football to seek a second NFL act.
Also Read: "You Can't Turn Down Playing with Tom Brady & AB" - Le'Veon Bell reveals how the Buccaaneers stopped him from retiring