TGII @ Rams' first voluntary workout Monday 4/15/19 responded to questions

[BonifayRam]

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...ured-knee-gives-vague-answer-to-key-question/
Todd Gurley finally offers update on his injured knee, gives vague answer to key question
So what's up with Todd Gurley's knee?
by John Breech


It's been more than two months since the last time Todd Gurley played in an NFL game, and although his left knee has had time to heal, there's some serious question about whether the Rams running back is fully healthy.

Gurley attended the Rams' first voluntary workout Monday, and for the first time this offseason, the Rams running back answered a few questions about his knee, which is apparently doing pretty well.

"It's feeling pretty good," Gurley said, via ESPN.com. "Taking it day by day."

Back on March 1, CBSSports.com reported that Gurley would potentially consider stem cell treatment if his knee regressed at all during the offseason. One day later, the Athletic reported that Gurley was dealing with arthritis in his left knee.

During his interview on Monday, Gurley offered a simple "not really" when he was asked if there was any discussion about having a procedure done on his knee this offseason. Gurley was also asked if there was a long-term plan in place for his knee, and he responded to that by saying that he's more focused on the present.

"All I need to worry about is how I'm feeling right now," Gurley said. "I don't know how I'm going to be feeling six months from now. So like I said, just kind of keep working hard, doing what I've been doing these past couple of years."


As for that arthritis, Gurley gave a vague answer when he was asked directly if that's what he was dealing with.

"I mean, all I can focus on is how I'm doing right now," Gurley said. "Feeling pretty good, like I said, taking it day by day and just trying to get better, get ready for the next season."

Rams general manager Les Snead was equally evasive last month when he was asked if Gurley was dealing with arthritis. Snead was asked to give a "yes" or "no" to the question, but he decided to go with a third option.

"With all NFL players when it comes to trying to be fresh at the end of the year, there is an element of probably shades of gray of how fresh you are and what that reason is," Snead said, via ESPN.com. "So I would counter your, 'It's either a yes or a no.' I'm not sure you've ever gone through a 16-game NFL season, but if you have you probably would understand that shade of gray."


One thing that's not gray is the fact that Gurley's knee definitely gave him issues in 2018, so it's fair to wonder whether or not that's going to happen again in 2019. Gurley missed the final two games of the regular season, which the Rams attributed at the time to soreness and inflammation in his knee.

Two months into the offseason, Rams coach Sean McVay likes where Gurley's knee is at, but he did admit they'll be monitoring him closely.

"He's in a good place right now. He's feeling good," McVay said. "I know it was good to get back in the building. He's been here doing some things. That's really something that as the offseason progresses and then as we get into training camp, he's a guy that we will continue to monitor, but it's like that with all of our players."

Based on all the answers the Rams having been giving this offseason, it's starting to feel like no one outside of Los Angeles is really going to know how Gurley's knee is healing until he actually gets back on the field.

 

[BonifayRam]

https://www.pe.com/2019/04/15/rams-todd-gurley-sheds-little-light-on-the-condition-of-his-knee/
Rams’ Todd Gurley sheds little light on the condition of his knee

Rams running back Todd Gurley, seen in a file photo taken prior to Super Bowl 53, sidestepped questions about the specifics of the condition of his knee during a news conference on Monday, April 15, 2019. “All I can worry about is how I’m feeling right now,” Gurley said. “I don’t know how I’m gonna be feeling six months from now.”
By Ryan Kartje | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: April 15, 2019 at 7:13 pm

THOUSAND OAKS – As questions swirled around the uncertain status of his troublesome knee, Todd Gurley decided to get away this offseason.

Coming off a Super Bowl loss, with a new contract in hand, the Rams star running back afforded himself some time off. His body needed it. And with a new contract extension, his wallet could handle it. “I finally got the money I deserved,” Gurley said on Monday.

So late last month, he and some friends jetted across the world, celebrating the spoils of their new contracts by living large for a few days. They bounced around Europe on a private jet, flying between Barcelona and London and Milan, hitting up clubs at each stop. “I kind of did everything I always wanted to do,” Gurley said. He called it “the time of my life”.

But when Gurley returned to Los Angeles, those questions about his knee were still awaiting answers. As the Rams gathered for the first day of their offseason program, Gurley spoke for the first time publicly about his status, but didn’t do much to clear up uncertainty about his knee. The 24-year-old All-Pro noted only that he felt “pretty good”. But what about reports that he was diagnosed with arthritis in his knee?

“All I can worry about is how I’m feeling right now,” Gurley said when pressed on the topic. “I don’t know how I’m gonna be feeling six months from now. Just keep working hard, doing what I’ve been doing these past couple years.”

Down the stretch last season, though, Gurley bore little resemblance to the running back that dominated the league since his arrival in 2015. The 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year missed the final two weeks of last season with inflammation in his knee, before returning in the divisional round of the playoffs. He rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown in a victory over the Dallas Cowboys. But with his injury clearly affecting him, Gurley disappeared in the two postseason games that followed, tallying just 47 total yards and a touchdown between the NFC championship game and Super Bowl.

Since then, the Rams haven’t exactly been forthcoming with details about their star running back, who inked a 4-year, $60 million deal with the team last July. Both general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay have tiptoed around offering any sort of definitive answer to what ailed Gurley at the end of 2018.

Gurley offered only a few other details about what’s unfolded since. He said that he met after the season with Reggie Scott, the Rams director of sports medicine and performance, to discuss potential treatment options for his knee. But surgery, he clarified, was never seriously considered.

“Really just resting, that was the main thing,” he said. “That was my first time ever playing in February.”
So he gave himself a break this offseason. And how much more work he’ll actually do from now until training camp remains to be seen. It’s likely as the Rams begin their offseason training activities in a month that they’ll tread lightly with their star running back.

That could mean more work for Malcolm Brown, Gurley’s backup, for whom the Rams matched an offer sheet to retain this offseason. In keeping Brown, the Rams said goodbye to C.J. Anderson, whose standout performance down the stretch helped propelled the Rams offense through the playoffs. With Gurley’s status still up the air, Brown could set himself up in the coming months for a major role next season.

#LARams LIVE: Todd Gurley offseason program press conference https://t.co/Qkh5Bt27pA

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 15, 2019

 

[LesBaker]

"It's feeling pretty good," Gurley said, via ESPN.com. "Taking it day by day."

"I mean, all I can focus on is how I'm doing right now," Gurley said. "Feeling pretty good, like I said, taking it day by day and just trying to get better, get ready for the next season."

Anytime somebody says I'm taking it day by day it concerns me

 

[CGI_Ram]

I tend to believe concluding surgery isn’t needed, is a good sign.

 

[Selassie I]

Sure.... we'd all like to know the complete details, but that's not what smart teams provide.

I'm fine with TGIII being a man of mystery. Hopefully he gives other teams a ray of hope before he runs all over their asses.

 

[FrantikRam]

Anytime somebody says I'm taking it day by day it concerns me

When that's his answer to the question "do you have arthritis in your knee?", then I'd conclude that he does.

Next question is, what does that mean?

 

[BonifayRam]

Los Angeles Rams HC Sean McVay commits to RB Todd Gurley being
“focal point” of offense despite injury

https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...ey-knee-injury-2019-predictions-malcolm-brown

After Gurley suffered from a “wear and tear” issue late last year, it sounds like McVay is committing to more of both in 2019.


So here’s how it was explained is that this was a wear and tear issue.

Todd Gurley had 315 touches, fourth-most of any player in the NFL and that’s sitting out two games. Since 2015, he’s had nearly 1,229 touches. That’s the most of any player.

So they said as the season wore on, that knee became a little bit worn down. Remember, that’s the knee he injured in college. So again, there was no specific injury. He was sore. He was feeling something right there, but when it came to the usage, it was not injury-related. This was more coaching decision-based in terms of the usage or lack thereof of Todd Gurley in those final two playoff games.

That was NFL Network’s Steve Wyche nearly two months ago on the injury Los Angeles Rams RB Just Todd Gurley was suffering from at the end of the regular season.

The saga of Gurley’s knee has taken plenty of twists and turns since Super Bowl LIII, the latest coming yesterday when Rams HC McVay and Gurley, among other Rams, addressed convened media as the Rams began their official offseason program.

Given Gurley’s jobshare in the postseason with RB C.J. Anderson who wasn’t even on the team until Week 16, it was fair to anticipate a reduced role for Gurley in 2019. Whatever the “wear and tear” issue which might or might not have been related to the arthritis he’s supposedly suffering from, continuing to give Gurley as many touches seemed perhaps unlikely.

Welp:

(4:55 mark for the relevant question)

#LARams LIVE: Sean McVay offseason program press conference https://t.co/xWrwTRcrnc

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 15, 2019
(On RB Malcolm Brown’s usage this season and if it will be a two-back approach with him and Gurley)

“I think Todd has shown that he is capable of carrying the workload. We have a lot of confidence in (RB) Malcolm (Brown). For us, you want to be smart about that, but I think, like we talked about the other day, Todd is a guy that’s been a focal point of this offense. He’s going to continue to be. Really, what resulted in (a two-back approach at the end of last year), was because (Gurley) was forced to miss some games at the end of the year and we wanted to be smart about managing that load. Todd has shown that he can handle that. How we navigate through a season, it’s hard to say, but we anticipate like we said the other day, (Gurley) being the focal point of our offense. Unless I’m told otherwise, he’s a pretty versatile back and we’re going to continue to utilize all of his skillsets.”

It’s an interesting answer and one that matches what McVay said recently on the Rich Eisen Show:

(2:22 mark for the relevant quote)

You can expect Todd to be the focal part of our offense again as we move forward. He’s feeling good. He’s in a good place. I just think the natural ebbs and flows when you play 19 games, and I know he missed a couple with the amount of work that he got, it just worked out that way at the end of the year.

He got a very similar workload in ‘17. The anticipation for us is he’s in a good place. He’s feeling good. He’s going to continue to be a central part of our offense going into the ‘19 season, and I don’t see that changing.So it’s worth clarifying where things stand with the 2019 NFL Draft coming in just a week.

Neither McVay nor Gurley in his remarks yesterday alluded to the idea that he’s going to be fully healthy for Week 1. Obviously, as Todd himself noted, it’s somewhat impossible to know how his knee will heal over the next four months. But there was a notable lack of similarity between McVay’s comments on Todd’s injury and his response on WR Cooper Kupp where he was decidedly more specific and upbeat. That’s not to say McVay wasn’t as upbeat or optimistic about Todd, but perhaps more respectful of the unknown.

Because that’s really what this is all about. The unknown of how Todd Gurley’s knee will respond. Gurley aggravated the knee in Week 1, but it responded well enough for Gurley to continue to be the bellcow. After Week 15, not so much.

The anxiety is going to be unavoidable. We just don’t know when Gurley’s knee will react like it did in Week 1 and when it will react like it did in Week 15.But clearly, less is more in this case. The less Gurley exposes himself, the more likely he remains healthy.If we’re to take McVay’s words to account though, it sounds as if we shouldn’t expect to see Gurley much less than we did throughout the last two seasons.

That’s a pretty stark decline over the course of the season without any major loss of work due to personnel. While Brown was injured in Week 13, the Rams didn’t respond with any personnel change at running back; moreover, neither John Kelly nor Justin Davis picked up any more work than Brown had in backing up Gurley.

In the first 12 games of the season, Gurley accounted for 83.83% of the team’s carries. In the next two without Brown, that number barely moved at all increasing to 85.19%. In the playoff jobshare with Anderson across three games? Gurley accounted for 56.96%, 46.38% and 66.15% of the Rams’ carries.

So what does being a “focal point” or “central point” mean? Does it mean work rates above 80% and workloads of more than 15 carries per game? Does it mean less and allow for an expanded role for Brown? Do the Rams intend on taking a running back in the draft to take on that role It’s hard to say right now.

But the Rams can’t simply use Gurley with reckless abandon. They re-signed him to a massive deal in July worth $60m with 75% of it guaranteed at signing. The earliest the Rams could get out of the deal would be the 2021 offseason and that would incur dead cap space of more than $8m.

So the Rams likely are committed to Todd Gurley for the next three years. Managing his workload and limiting the wear and tear will be an absolutely vital part of Sean McVay’s job. Clearly in 2018, they didn’t manage it well. It’s probably too far to suggest it cost them the Super Bowl, but only just. And the distance between that idea and reality is probably something close to the distance between Todd Gurley helping to decide the Rams’ future and a future in which he’s sitting on the sideline.

After all, it’s a game of inches.

 

[Ram65]

I have to think TG will always be having a knee issue. The hope is that he can manage it and be productive for a few more years. Rams need a good backup plan sooner rather then later.

 

[Adi]

We will never know.

Does the team look worse if he is hurt or not ?

Either they sat a superstar in crucial games or they owe someone with a serious injury 40 million dollars.

I just hope hes ok and we can continue to watch his potentially HOF career.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

We'll know for certain after the draft. How much capital they spend on a rb will tell us gurley's status.

.

 

[CGI_Ram]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/04/19/todd-gurley-happy-to-have-malcolm-brown-back/

Todd Gurley happy to have Malcolm Brown back

The Rams lost C.J. Anderson, but they got Malcolm Brownback.

Los Angeles matched the offer sheet the running back signed with the Lions, ensuring his return as Todd Gurley‘s backup.

“I was happy. Malc’s my boy,” Gurley said, via Myles Simmons of the team website. “I’m super happy he’s back, though — super happy. That’s my guy, so I’m happy for him.”

Rams coach Sean McVay said Gurley will remain the “focal point” of the offense. But General Manager Les Snead also has conceded this offseason that the Rams face a decision whether to continue with the workload Gurley has had in the past or “lessen that load.”

Gurley has averaged 326 touches per season over the past three seasons. He was slowed by a left knee injury last season, and Jeff Howe of TheAthletic.com reported Gurley has arthritis.

Brown averaged 4.9 yards per rush and 10.4 yards per reception last season before a season-ending clavicle injury in Week 13. That prompted the team to sign Anderson, who had 522 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns in five games, including the postseason.

Now, Brown has his job back and could see more touches than he has in any of his first four seasons.

“Malcolm’s been doing what he’s been doing these last couple years,” Gurley said. “Even last year, even before he got hurt, he’s always been reliable. If I go out, he’s doing the exact same thing. If not, he can do it better. So Malc’s a great running back.”

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwdOUd1A4nn/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1ws251xft2p7n

 

[1maGoh]

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/BwdOUd1A4nn/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1ws251xft2p7n

Did you see him favoring his knee when he did that pull-up!?

 

[LesBaker]

Rams coach Sean McVay said Gurley will remain the “focal point” of the offense. But General Manager Les Snead also has conceded this offseason that the Rams face a decision whether to continue with the workload Gurley has had in the past or “lessen that load.”

I think it's more accurate to say the RB position will be the focal [point, not just Gurley. They have no option but to reduce his workload. If they don't they could end up going into the post season without him being available or very limited.

He needs to be pulled from games anytime the Rams have put it out of reach. And at the end of games or the half when they are simply running out the clock they should have someone else take the ball.