Wagoner: Todd Gurley to get first full taste of OTAs

Todd Gurley to get first full taste of organized team activities

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/29416/todd-gurley-to-get-first-full-taste-of-organized-team-activities

The Los Angeles Rams are moving closer to the beginning of the final phase of the offseason conditioning program. That would be the time when all players can come together on a field and go through full-squad practices (with some limitations, of course): organized team activities.

The Rams’ first OTA is set for May 31 at their current temporary training facility in Oxnard, Calif. Before we get there, we’re counting down five of the questions we’ll look to get answered when the Rams get going again:

The question: Running back Todd Gurley is participating in his first set of OTAs after missing last year because he was rehabilitating a knee injury. He’s now another year removed from that injury. What can a full offseason do for him in Year 2?

Outlook: Before he ever took a real handoff in a real NFL game, Gurley spent a lot of time as a spectator when the Rams were going through last year’s offseason conditioning program. At the time, Gurley was recovering from the torn left ACL he suffered in his final season at Georgia. He spent most of his first set of NFL OTAs observing from the sidelines and working with the team’s athletic trainers. He would stay on the field after and do a little bit of route running for quarterback Sean Mannion and get some additional work with then-running backs coach Ben Sirmans. To try to keep up from a mental standpoint, Gurley would jump in the huddle during practice, standing close enough to hear the play call and go through the play in his head. But Gurley never was able to cut it loose during OTAs and didn’t truly begin working with his teammates until training camp and the preseason.

Of course, when Gurley was ready, he took over the starting job in Week 4 against Arizona and went on to finish third in the NFL in rushing on his way to the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. It was an impressive feat for a player who had no definitive return date when the Rams drafted him No. 10 overall.

Despite that production, Gurley insisted he was never truly at full strength. Now, as Gurley prepares to enter his second season, expectations for his production are sky-high. Gurley has recovered from the turf-toe issue that kept him out of the season finale against San Francisco and has no restrictions as the Rams begin this round of OTAs.

It’s long been thought that players who have dealt with ACL injuries don’t truly regain full strength until they are two years removed from the injury. In terms of the calendar, that won’t come until November for Gurley, but he is a full season removed and should be closer to full speed. Gurley spent part of last season wearing a knee brace, though he removed it and then went back to it after a late-season tweak against Detroit.

Having a full offseason to work out should also help Gurley increase his strength and understanding of the offense. There’s no doubt that the Rams’ offense will continue to center on Gurley. The simple act of being on the field for these OTAs will be a step forward compared with last year, but it should also serve him well as he comes back for an encore.