The former Rams star running back is still sitting in free agency, taking calls from very few teams which begs the question…should the Chiefs pursue the former superstar back?
I know, I know, another “big-name free agent to Kansas City” rumor appearing even though the Chiefs are essentially fine at the position in question?
The answer is yes. And although no official connection has been made by the likes of Adam Schefter or Ian Rapaport, and no insider information has been made present by the likes of Adam Teicher or some random liquor store clerk in Kansas City, there always seems to be ideas floating around social media that eventually create the conversation over time.
So who is it this time? Last time, the free-agent running back that Kansas City took a gamble on only allotted 254 rushing yards on 63 attempts (4 yds/att) and two TDs…(Yes, I’m talking about Le’Veon Bell, who is also still a free agent for his own reasons).
The free agent in question is former Rams first-round pick (10th overall), Todd Gurley, who spent last season taking 48% of the rushing attempts for Atlanta behind a shoddy offensive line and an aging Matt Ryan throwing to him 35 times–25 of which he caught for a total of 164 yards (6.6 yds/rec).
Gurley, who is only 26-years old, had a great first half of the 2020 season, racking up 584 of his 678 total rushing yards in the first 9 games (64.9 yds/gm), which made Atlanta fans believe they were experiencing the rebirth of the 2017 & 2018 Gurley who finished 1st in rushing TDs both years and 2nd & 3rd in rushing yards respectively.
Gurley, a 3x-Pro Bowler (’15, ’17’, ’18), showed he had plenty in the tank–at least in the first half of ’20–but the rest of the season left a sour taste in Falcons’ fans mouths, and also in the mouths of any Gurley owner in fantasy football, when he only averaged 15 yds/gm over his final six games.
Since January, Gurley has been sitting on his couch claiming he still wants to play in Atlanta, but just this week he is reportedly visiting Detroit with the hopes of reuniting with his former QB Jared Goff who was under center in front of Gurley from 2016-2019 during LA’s Super Bowl appearance and their 54-51 highlight reel win against KC in a dazzling display of offensive fireworks from both teams.
So would he fit with the Chiefs? They have already signaled that 2nd-year RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire is the starter, and the depth chart behind him is chock-full of homegrown talent like Darrel Williams (26 yrs old) and Darwin Thompson (24) leading the pack.
Behind Williams and Thompson there is Elijah McGuire, a former starter for the New York Jets, and recent-addition Jerick McKinnon, who made a name for himself in Minnesota before getting injured and moving to San Francisco for one season.
So Gurley would likely be fighting for an RB3 position to begin the season, and with limited touches–plus optimal red zone chances throughout the year–to show what he could bring to the team he could possibly be bumped up into a bigger role, especially later in the season due to wear-and-tear to RB1 or during the playoffs where his experience and veteran leadership could come in handy.
Also, imagine an offensive mind like Reid with the talent that Gurley has shown bouts of during the past year or two…that could be scary for the league, but it could also backfire considering he might be more expensive than his snap percentage would dictate.
Coming from the other angle, could he really add more than the anticipated, swift-footed Bell did last season? Especially if Patrick Mahomes and #ChiefsKingdom are counting on him late in the season as they did with #26 near the beginning of the playoffs?
There’s only one way to truly know…
Agree? Disagree? Let me know through the comment section below! Or through Twitter at @SportsGuyShawnO! And don’t forget to check out Shawn’s Staturdays and more articles on Arrowhead Live every day!
