The Atlanta Falcons believe they have their franchise running back in Todd Gurley. But they are undecided on how the rest of the depth chart will shake out. On Friday, the Falcons have waived Craig Reynolds and are still uncertain of who will slot in behind Gurley.
Earlier this offseason, Atlanta released Devonta Freeman after having him as their featured back since the 2015 season. It marked the second consecutive season of the Falcons parting ways with a running back after letting Tevin Coleman depart in free agency last offseason.
By releasing Reynolds, the Falcons are now shortening their selection at the No. 2 spot at running back. Reynolds signed with the team last December after being cut by the Washington Football Team.
Nonetheless, Atlanta didn't wait long to replace Freeman, signing a one-year deal with Gurley. The All-Pro running back, similar to Freeman, was released by the Los Angeles Rams due to injury concerns. At the same time, the Rams needed a way to create cap space in the future and Gurley's lucrative extension was a way to do that.
While the Falcons hope Gurley can return to his All-Pro form, they are unsure who will be deployed when Gurley needs a breather. Last season, Brian Hill served as Atlanta's backup running back behind Freeman. However, both Ito Smith and Qadree Ollison also received touches out of the backfield.
With Matt Ryan and Julio Jones in the offense, the Falcons will undoubtedly be a pass-oriented team once again. Despite the team's effectiveness through the air, Atlanta knows they need to be able to run the ball too. Even though Gurley has a tight handle on the starting job, the Falcons will likely hold a training camp battle to decide his backup.
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