PFF: 2020 NFL Free Agency: Live analysis of the top free agent signings and news
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Los Angeles Rams release Todd Gurley

In many ways, Gurley is the poster child for the debate centered around running back value. After a 2017 season in which he earned a top-5 PFF grade at the running back position, performing at a high level both as a runner and receiver out of the backfield, the Los Angeles Rams extended Gurley a four-year, $57.5 million offer with $45 million guaranteed. It looked as if things were going well again in 2018 as Gurley ran for 17 touchdowns and caught another four in one of the league’s most efficient offenses. However, towards the end of the season and into the playoffs, chronic knee injuries began to limit Gurley. That carried over to 2019 behind a significantly worse offensive line. He didn’t put up nearly the same production as a runner, and he managed just a 34.8 grade as a receiver. That resulted in the Rams releasing Gurley on Friday prior to a deadline that would have triggered an additional $10.5 million in guarantees in his contract. Still, they must eat over $20 million in dead cap, signaling the dangers of paying big money to the position.

*Bernie drops f-bomb and lashes out at pandemic which may kill millions*

Neolibs: The attitude! He’ll never have my vote!

*Biden lashing out at union auto-worker, calls him fat and challenges him to a push-up contest*

Neolibs: Presidential

— K. Rosef (@kayrosef) March 18, 2020

J.B. Long@JB_Long

Thank you @TG3II. I’ll never forget the touchdowns. But also the hours you spent signing autographs and especially your gift for inspiring youth, all of which I know will continue well beyond your time in Horns.

View this post on Instagram

Thank you @tg4hunnid. I’ll never forget the touchdowns. But also the hours you spent signing autographs and especially your gift for inspiring youth, all of which I know will continue well beyond your time in Horns.

A post shared by J.B. Long (@ramsradio) on Mar 19, 2020 at 2:22pm PDT

Cameron DaSilva@camdasilva
Draft interest doesn’t lie. Rams have been sniffing around the RBs this year, meeting with a few at the combine. That was the first clear sign Gurley might be gone.

Todd Gurley finished his Rams career 6th in franchise history with 5,405 rushing yards. He’s also tied with Marshall Faulk for the most rushing TDs (58) in Rams history, too.

Steven Jackson@sj39
The value of a player to his team is never truly calculated. @TG3II talent brought to @RamsNFL backfield every time you took the field reflected in the stat sheet but also from your opponents post game interviews. Wherever your future takes you, continue to be great G. #Respect

Matt Bowen@MattBowen41
Interested to see the FA market for RB Todd Gurley…

Straight-line/power runner. Fits in zone schemes. Receiving traits on screen concepts, swings, throws to the flat.

Explosive play production has declined. Didn’t show the same burst/acceleration on his ‘19 film.

ESPN Stats & Info@ESPNStatsInfo
Todd Gurley has scored 70 touchdowns in his career.

The only player in NFL history to score more TDs at age 25 or younger is Hall-of-Famer Emmitt Smith.

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This franchise has had some legendary runners. Is Hendo next to carry the torch? pic.twitter.com/7RUo4bVqhz

— Sosa K (@QBsMVP) March 19, 2020

Damn I got fired on my day off😂 #QuaratineAndChill

— Todd Gurley II (@TG3II) March 19, 2020

zn wrote:

Rich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
The Rams are going to eat $20.15 million in cap space. Wow.

That’s wrong.

You don’t have to wait until June 1st anymore to designate it as a June 1 release.

As per —>

Field Yates@FieldYates
Source: the Rams released RB Todd Gurley with a post-June 1 designation, meaning the team will spread the dead money cap charges over two seasons. The team will also see $5.5M in cap savings that becomes available on June 2.

Tom Pelissero@TomPelissero
The #Rams still owe Todd Gurley a $7.55 million roster bonus tomorrow, but escape the additional $10.5M in salary and bonuses that would’ve become fully guaranteed at 4 p.m. He leaves behind $20.15M in dead money on the salary cap over the next two years.

A portion of that roster bonus tomorrow ($2.5 million) is subject to offsets, meaning if Gurley signs elsewhere, the #Rams can get some of the money back. As it stands now, L.A. will have paid $34.5M on the extension he signed in July 2018.

Jason_OTC@Jason_OTC
#Rams can earn a partial offset on the Gurley guarantee when he signs elsewhere.

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Joel Corry@corryjoel
Todd Gurley was scheduled to make $11,949,978 in the last 2 years of his rookie deal. Gurley gets $34.5M from the extension ($2.5M with offset), which is $22,550,022 more than playing out his rookie contract.

Gregg Rosenthal@greggrosenthal
It’s rough, but the Rams aren’t cutting Gurley for cap reasons. They are cutting him because they don’t think he can help them win.

Myles Simmons@MylesASimmons
Gurley was one of my favorite players to cover in my time with the Rams. Sometimes the business of football stinks.

Just thinking about this. When Gurley signed his extension at the beginning of training camp in ‘18, I asked him about knowing he’d play in the new stadium in 2020 with the contract extension, and I remember him enthusiastically saying, “Yeah! Now we know!”

Cold world, man

Johnny Hekker@JHekker
I’ll always be a Gurley Man. @TG3II was a hell of a teammate and overcame a ton to contribute however he could. I wish him nothing but the best moving forward. Our franchise has banners because of that man. Nothing but love.

Billy M@BillyM_91
As if you needed to hear it again, this lesson of Gurley is evidence A that you should never pay a RB a big deal.

The Rams announced they have released RB Todd Gurley

They actually did it. https://t.co/L0r2zwcuui

— Cameron DaSilva (@camdasilva) March 19, 2020

I'm old enough to remember when Joe Biden said Italy has a universal healthcare system and they're struggling with COVID-19 which is proof we don't need one.

That was Sunday.

Italy gave us COVID-19 testing supplies on Monday. https://t.co/xDemPScqnA

— Lee 🐣 Carter (@carterforva) March 19, 2020

Andrew Whitworth (Rams), three years, $30M, $12.5M gtd, $5M signing bonus, salaries $5M (gtd), $7M, $7.5M; $2.5M third day 2021 roster bonus gtd for inj at signing, fully gtd five days after deal executed, $3M 3rd day 2022 roster bonus,

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 19, 2020

Andrew Whitworth has 2022 option bonus to be exercised before 6th day prior to start of lg year, $1.5M incentive annual, $1.5M 2021-22 base escalator

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 19, 2020

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from https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/19/nfl-rams-andrew-whitworth-contract-details/

The Rams, being the creatives that they are, put an unusual option bonus in his contract, too, according to Ian Rapoport. He was on NFL Network Thursday and explained Whitworth’s contract, saying that he has a $77 bonus added in, as a tribute to his jersey number.

“He gets $12.5 million, fully guaranteed, which means $2.5 million fully guaranteed comes not this year, but next year,” Rapoport said. “So whether he plays or not, he still gets more than $2 million. Plus, because the Rams are weird and quirky, he gets a $77 option bonus. Not $77,000, not $7,700. $77, because that’s his jersey number.”

Rapoport also reported that for Whitworth, “his options were retirement or play only for the Rams.” The veteran left tackle made it clear that he wanted to return to the Rams early in the offseason, and Sean McVay wanted him back, too, which made this an obvious signing for Los Angeles.

zn wrote:

JackPMiller wrote:

I think Robinson’s contract, may have lost us one of our 4th round picks. Unless Legatron gets signed to a massive deal somewhere. What is sad, Danny Shelton, signs for $4M a year.

No Robinson was cut if I recall. He doesn’t lose them a comp pick.

I recalled wrong. Looks like you’re right Jack. This will cost them one of their 4th round picks.

A more detailed comparison between Fowler and Floyd, counting sacks, Tackles for Loss, & QB hits.

YEAR SACKS TFL QB HITS TTL

Floyd under Fangio/Staley

2016 7.0 … 6 … 9 = 22
2017 4.5 … 8 … 12 = 24.5
2018 4.0 … 9 … 11 = 24
ttl = 15.5 .. 23 … 32 = 70

Floyd under Pagano

2018 3.0 … 3 … 12 = 18

Fowler in Jacksonville

2016 4.0 … 6 … 11 = 21
2017 8.0 … 7 … 10 = 25
2018 4.0 … 5 … 6 = 15
ttl 16 … 18 … 27 = 61

Fowler in LA

2018 11.5 … 16 … 16 = 43.5

A’Shawn Robinson
Position: DT
6-4, 330lb

https://www.si.com/nfl/2016/04/01/nfl-draft-scouting-report-ashawn-robinson-alabama

Strengths: Did a lot as a two-gap tackle to create opportunities for those around him to excel. Plays effectively everywhere from zero-tech straight over center to run-stopping end. Aggressive leverage player who frequently bends blockers back with strong legs and an impressive bull-rush. Occasionally will simply toss a blocker aside. Can put a blocker on the tracks and rock him all the way through the pocket when he wins the timing and leverage battles. Frequently demands double-teams and chips even with the estimable talent along Alabama’s defensive line. Slips off blocks quickly to wrap up the ballcarrier, and has excellent tackling form—Robinson builds a wall when he’s got his feet under him. Consistently re-directs blockers when he tags one shoulder and wrestles them out of position. Strong enough to move one and two blockers laterally to the ballcarrier at times. Has a dominant initial punch when he uses it: has 34 1/4″ arms and has that “one-inch punch” that takes blockers out of plays entirely. Has excellent flexibility to re-direct to the ball, and diagnoses well to get there. NFL-ready from a power perspective. Doesn’t flow from sideline to sideline, but appears to have the potential to do so.

Weaknesses: Two-year starter who played 57% of Alabama’s defensive snaps over the last two seasons. Game isn’t fully developed yet. Tends to wait and pause too often off the snap, which leaves him vulnerable to quicker blockers who establish the point of attack advantage. Needs to mush-rush less and trust his natural aggressiveness more. Gets lost in the wash when he plays too high, and with his height, he needs to pay special attention to that. Occupies blockers very well, but may have to change his mentality to disengage more quickly at the NFL level. Needs to develop a signature pass-rush move and use his hands more effectively in general. Gets into the pocket with power over technique. Doesn’t yet have the ability to knife through double teams. Must keep his legs pumping throughout the play, as he can be taken off his line by more persistent blockers.

Conclusion: There are a lot of dings in Robinson’s game at this point, which is why he’s one of the most polarizing players in this draft class. There are some who see him as a two-down run-stopping guy with very limited pass-rush ability, and others who think he’s got the potential in the right system to be a top-flight lineman at the nose and three-tech spots. As a two-gap hole-clogger who was often directed to dominate at the line so others could make plays, Robinson has the capacity to move to a one-gap attack defense and redefine his classifications over time.

Scouts and executives will tell you that when evaluating players, you can’t just focus on the players who project most easily to your scheme, you have to look at the traits and attributes that fit what your team wants to do over time. Most likely, Robinson’s NFL team will not want him soaking up blocks and mush-rushing as often as he had in the past, and most likely not in a two-gap system. Ideally, he’d be coached to improve his pass-rush moves as he knifes through double-teams, using his raw strength to stop the run at a very high level. When you watch his 2013 tape, when he was allowed to pursue more, that version of A’shawn Robinson shows up more often. And that version of A’Shawn Robinson is a top-16 pick, and could be even more valuable than that in the end.

Pro Comparison: Michael Brockers, Rams (first round, 2012, LSU)