The Los Angeles Rams released star running back Todd Gurley on Thursday afternoon, the team announced via social media.
We have released Todd Gurley.
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) March 19, 2020
Gurley, 25, had been the cornerstone of the NFC West franchise since L.A. selected the Georgia Bulldog with the 10th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Gurley was the premier rusher for the Rams, racking up yards and records, including winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015 and Offensive Player of the Year in 2017.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Rams prevented a $10.5 million salary-cap hit by releasing Gurley on Thursday before his contract fully guaranteed the sum.
The #Rams are releasing face of the franchise RB Todd Gurley, source says, before $10.5M becomes fully guaranteed on his contract.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 19, 2020
The Rams also released veteran linebacker Clay Matthews today. Matthews, 33, signed a two-year deal with L.A. last offseason after a 10-year stint with the Green Bay Packers, winning a Super Bowl.
Gurley's sudden exit from the Rams, however, is not too much of a surprise given how the team has surrounded franchise quarterback Jared Goff. The former first-overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft has started to come along and is now the face of the franchise. This past season saw head coach Sean McVay turn to Goff for a heavy work load while Gurley's production in the run game stalled. Goff threw a career-high 626 passing attempts in 2019—also the most in the league by a QB—and notched over 4,800 yards in the air.
Gurley closes the first chapter of his NFL career, which started in St. Louis when the now-relocated Rams made him the star on offense, handing numerous carries to the then-21-year-old.
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