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Los Angeles Rams: Why the Rams won’t draft a running back

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 08: Running backs Todd Gurley #30 and Malcolm Brown #34 of the Los Angeles Rams walk out of the tunnel before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 08, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 08: Running backs Todd Gurley #30 and Malcolm Brown #34 of the Los Angeles Rams walk out of the tunnel before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 08, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Rams
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Rams /

The Los Angeles Rams sent shockwaves throughout the NFL by releasing Todd Gurley, and now, could look at running backs for the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Los Angeles Rams did something on Thursday that was absolutely unthinkable just two years ago: the team cut Todd Gurley. Gurley was the consensus best running back in the league in 2018 and through half a season, appeared to be on pace to be in the MVP running.

The wheels started to rattle on the wagon during the 2018 season, though, and it took roughly a year and a half for the wheels to completely fall off.

Gurley was dealing with knee issues and saw his workload significantly reduced at the end of the season as a result. It wasn’t just the end of the regular season, though, as Gurley did not have much of a workload in the playoffs, either.

It was revealed prior to the 2019 season that Gurley had arthritis in his left knee, which was massively concerning considering the contract he signed with the team.

Those concerns led to a reduced workload in 2019, although he was still an impactful part of the offense, and his eventual release this week. Gurley was simply being paid too much for a running back and the Rams cut him before having to commit an extra $10.5 million to him this season.

Now the Los Angeles Rams seemingly have a hole at running back and it might appear as if the team is going to draft a running back in the 2020 NFL Draft.

However, that likely will not be the case. While the team released Gurley, it does not have as big of a hole at running back as some fans may think, and certainly is not worth using a draft pick on. Here are the three reasons why that is the case.

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