Running back Todd Gurley is ready for his homecoming.
The former University of Georgia running back agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, according to ESPN's Jordan Schultz, less than 24 hours after being released by the Los Angeles Rams.
The three-time Pro Bowl running back fills a big need for the Falcons, who released longtime starter Devonta Freeman and have Ito Smith and Brian Hill as the only regular contributors remaining in the backfield.
A native of North Carolina, the 25-year-old was drafted by the Rams with the 10th overall pick in 2015, and he immediately became one of the top backs in the league.
He missed three games his rookie season while recovering from a knee injury suffered in college, but he rushed for 1,103 yards and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year.
He was named to the Pro Bowl after his rookie season and again in 2017 and 2018, but the knee issues hampered him last season.
He rushed for 857 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2019 but averaged just 3.8 yards per carry.
Rumors have circulated that he has an arthritic condition in the knee, but the Falcons snapped him up quickly to try to bolster a rushing offense that ranked 30th in the NFL at 85.1 yards per game last season.
With the apparent erosion of Gurley's skills, the move isn't likely to move the needle much on Atlanta's odds.
William Hill has the Falcons listed at +6000 in its NFL futures odds to win the Super Bowl and at +3000 to win the NFC.
They are +600, behind the New Orleans Saints (-125) and the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+175) to win the NFC South.
Atlanta started 1-7 last season but won six of its final eight games to finish 7-9.
The team has been fairly active early in the 2020 NFL free agency period, agreeing to a deal with edge rusher Dante Fowler, trading for tight end Hayden Hurst and agreeing to re-sign defensive tackle Tyeler Davison.
It also holds the 14th overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Falcons are hoping the 6-foot-1, 224-pound back can return to the form that helped him average 1,080 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns over the past five seasons.
He has been a first-team All-Pro twice, including in 2017 when he was named the league's Offensive Player of the Year.
That 2017 season earned him a four-year, $57.5 million extension, but the knee issues and apparent lack of explosiveness led the Rams to move on.
Teams need to complete physicals to finalize contracts and trades, and the 2020 NFL Draft is still scheduled for next month, so check back here to see how NFL teams are reshaping their rosters.
