There have been tons of question marks concerning Todd Gurley in terms of his knee injury dating back to last season. The Los Angeles Rams season ended in debacle as they lost 13-3 in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.
One of the concerning outcomes in the Super Bowl was the fact that Gurley had just 11 touches for 34 yards from scrimmage. Many people quickly questioned whether or not the All-Pro running back was injured more severely than fans were led to believe.
A serious injury would be one of the only plausible explanations of why your best weapon on offense only touched the ball 11 times in the biggest game of the season.
This offseason, it was reported that the Rams dynamic running back has arthritis in his knee. That may be a cause for concern moving forward for Los Angeles as they try to prolong Gurley's career.
After all, the Rams signed Gurley to a four-year, $60 million extension during the summer of 2018. Despite the injury issues, Gurley will still able to produce at a high level during the 2018 season.
The main focus for the Pro Bowl running back is to get healthy and refreshed for 2019.
Here are three way-too-early bold predictions for the Rams talented running back.
3. 70+ Receptions
The Rams' front office and Sean McVay have said that they want to try keeping Gurley more fresh in 2019. This likely means the dual-threat back could see less carries between the tackles, taking bruising hits from defenders.
Instead, the Rams could elect to use Gurley more often in the passing game. McVay has shown that he loves having the option to use Gurley as a weapon in the Rams aerial attack.
In two seasons with McVay as the head coach, Gurley has caught 123 passes for 1,368 yards and 10 touchdowns. In comparison, in Gurley's first two seasons, he had just 64 receptions, 515 yards, and no touchdowns through the air.
While Jeff Fisher was the head coach, he was nonexistent in the passing game but with McVay he's crucial. Gurley will get more opportunities to catch the ball in 2019 and will surpass 70 receptions.
2. Five or More Yards Per Carry
On the Rich Eisen Show, McVay stated that Gurley will still be the focal point of the offense despite the injury concerns. In reality, expect Gurley to touch the ball a little less during the regular season to keep him fresh for the playoffs.
In addition, that would also allow Gurley to remain fresh during the regular season as well. As a result, we could see more explosive plays from the three-time Pro Bowler.
In his four-year career, Gurley has averaged 4.4 yards per carry with his career-high being 4.9 in 2018. McVay will find ways for the elite running back to have more opportunities to break loose in the running game.
Last season, Gurley had 256 carries on offense, down from 279 in 2017. That number will probably take another dip in 2019 in the 225-230 range.
Despite fewer carries, Gurley will maximize his touches on the ground to the results of over five yards per carry in 2019.
1. 25+ Total Touchdowns
Again, the Rams are going to likely play on the safe side in terms of Gurley in the foreseeable future. McVay stated he is still the focal point of the offense but that could come in the form of more scoring opportunities.
Last season, Gurley finished the season with 21 total touchdown, 17 rushing and four receiving. You also have to consider the fact he missed two games in 2018.
In 2017, the gifted running back had 19 total touchdowns with 13 coming on the ground and six through the air. Under McVay, the scoring opportunities have been bountiful for the two-time All-Pro running back.
That will continue in 2019 despite the Rams most dangerous weapon on offense likely lightening his workload. Gurley will still be a formidable threat in 2019, scoring 25 total touchdowns for Los Angeles.
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