Todd Gurley dealt with a knee injury down the stretch last season that clearly affected his play in the playoffs, and the Los Angeles Rams appear to be taking precautions to make sure they can avoid the same situation in 2019.
The Rams already made depth at the running back position a priority when they matched an offer sheet to restricted free agent Malcolm Brown, and they then used a third-round draft pick on former Memphis star Darrell Henderson. While Rams GM Les Snead described Henderson as the “change-of-pace” back the Rams have been looking for behind Gurley and Brown, head coach Sean McVay said the rookie could inspire him to use more two-back sets than he has in his first two seasons in LA.
“Being able to give somebody a chance to come in and provide a different threat is exactly what we identified,” McVay said, per ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry.
McVay was quick to note, however, that Henderson was drafted because he is a “unique playmaker” and not because the Rams are concerned about Gurley’s knee. Though, the coach did admit that managing Gurley’s workload is something the team will discuss.
“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,” McVay said.
Gurley signed a four-year, $60 million extension prior to last season. The Rams made a huge investment in him, and the last thing they want to do is run him into the ground. Having a back that can spell him or play alongside him is smart, even if it is not going to please fantasy football owners.
While he refused to admit his knee was an issue when he rushed for 35 yards on 10 carries in the Super Bowl, Gurley clearly wasn’t himself. Having him healthy late in the season should be a priority for the Rams.
