Gurley passes physical, begins camp on active roster
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_34705398-00a4-5789-9091-e1f251d65be1.html
During the last week of OTA practice sessions in June, Rams coach Jeff Fisher talked about the roster options the team had for rookie running back Todd Gurley once training camp opened. Among them, as Gurley continued his rehab from knee surgery he underwent as a Georgia Bulldog, was designation to the physically unable to perform list.
“If he’s not ‘PUP-ed,’ ” Fisher said at the time, “then I think you could probably assume that he’s going to play sooner than you think.”
Well, on Tuesday, all Rams rookies had to undergo their pre-training camp conditioning tests, a series of running drills to gauge their fitness levels for the rigors of camp. On a hot and steamy day in St. Louis, Gurley wasn’t fazed by the weather.
He passed his conditioning test with an exclamation point, according to those who saw him work out. So contrary to some national speculation last week, Gurley will not begin training camp on the PUP list. Instead, he will start training camp Friday on the active roster and be available to practice.
Obviously, this is an encouraging development for a Rams team hoping to beef up its running game and add a much-needed difference maker to the offense. There are no guarantees, of course, but as Fisher said in mid-June, minus the PUP-list designation he will probably play sooner than expected.
So the chances of Gurley being ready on opening day, Sept. 13 in the Edward Jones Dome against defending NFC champion Seattle, just went up. That doesn’t mean he’ll get 20 or 25 touches against the Seahawks, but he could be a factor.
Gurley’s work on the conditioning test certainly rates as a positive development, and a definite sign of progress in terms of the knee. But he still has some road to travel in terms of preparation for the regular season. The Rams’ medical staff, in consultation with the coaches, still must evaluate Gurley’s medical progress versus setting a specified return date.
Along those lines the team still has to determine a plan for integrating functional football work — that is, practice — with the continued rehab work that must be done on the surgically repaired left knee.
Gurley suffered the injury in the Bulldogs’ Nov. 15 game against Auburn last season, or roughly 8½ months ago. Even with the injury and surgery, the Rams couldn’t pass on Gurley at No. 10 overall in the draft.
In calling him the team’s running back of the future, Fisher cited Gurley’s athletic ability, strength, acceleration and instincts as a runner. “He’s special,” Fisher said after making the pick.
Gurley’s combination of speed and power could make him an improved version of Steven Jackson in St. Louis. He has also drawn comparisons to Marshawn Lynch and Fred Taylor, two highly successful backs in the NFL.
But even with Gurley on the active roster, and potentially being available for opening day, the last thing the Rams want to do is rush him back. With that in mind Tre Mason, impressive as a rookie a year ago, is still expected to get the lion’s share of the carries early in the season. Benny Cunningham has proven to be a capable rotation player and third-down back.
But even a Gurley who sees limited duty in the early going should make the Rams a better offense and potentially help the team avoid the slow starts to the season that have plagued Fisher’s first three Rams teams.
RAM-BLINGS
Just in time for the start of training camp, the Rams have signed rookie offensive tackle Isaiah Battle of Clemson. The Rams used a fifth-round pick to select Battle in the NFL’s supplemental draft July 9.• Former Rams offensive tackle Jake Long, a cap casualty this past offseason following his second season-ending knee injury in two years with St. Louis, visited the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday.• Former Rams offensive guard Chris Williams was waived with a failed physical designation Tuesday by Buffalo. Williams started 16 games for the Rams in 2013 before signing a free agent contract with the Bills in 2014.
• The good news for Pittsburgh star running back Le’Veon Bell was that his NFL suspension following DUI and marijuana possession issues was reduced from three games to two at the start of the 2015 season. The bad news for the Rams is that means he’ll now be available for the Steelers’ Game 3 matchup in St. Louis on Sept. 27.
