Report: Former Georgia Bulldogs star Todd Gurley to sign with Atlanta Falcons

Georgia Bulldog football fans got their wish Friday.

Former UGA star Todd Gurley agreed to a one-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons, according to a report by ESPN’s Jordan Schultz. The star running back was released a day earlier in a cost-cutting move by the Rams.

Gurley, 25, fills the void created this week when the Falcons waived all-pro running back Devonta Freeman in a similar cost-cutting move. Gurley now reunites with former Rams teammate Dante Fowler, who agreed to a three-year, $48 million contract this week.

Gurley earned a huge payday from the Rams that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history before the 2018 season. He received a four-year, $60 million extension — with two years left on his rookie contract — with $45 million in guaranteed money after earning 2017 NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors and contending for league MVP honors.

The Rams selected Gurley with the 10th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He rushed for 1,251 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2018, but he rushed for a career-low 857 yards last season because of issues from a left knee injury. The same knee problem sidelined him the final two games of the 2018 regular season, then played only briefly in the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl LIII that season.

Gurley, a native of Tarboro, N.C., has rushed for 5,404 yards and has 70 TDs total in his five NFL season. The 6-foot-1, 224-pounder also has 218 receptions for 2,090 yards. He made three Pro Bowls during his time with the Rams.

Before landing Gurley, the Falcons didn’t have a clear lead back to replace Freeman. The other young backs on the roster are Ito Smith, Brian Hill and Qadree Ollison.

Freeman missed significant time with injuries, particularly since signing a five-year contract before the 2017 season. He played in only two games in 2018 before bouncing back to start 14 games last year.

He had three straight seasons of at least 1,000 yards from 2015 to 2017. He rushed for 3,972 yards and 32 touchdowns, along with 257 catches for 2,015 yards and 11 scores, in six seasons with the Falcons. His yards from scrimmage are 10th-most in club history.

Those carries will ideally go now to Gurley, who joins a star-studded offense led by quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley.

Before heading to the NFL, Gurley was a star at Georgia. He rushed for 3,285 yards and 36 TDs in three college seasons before declaring early for the NFL Draft.

His freshman season was his best with the Bulldogs, rushing for 1,385 yards and 17 TDs. It was the first 1,000-yard rushing season by a UGA true freshman since Herschel Walker in 1980.

He rushed for 989 yards and 10 TDs as a sophomore in 10 games, then was limited to six games his junior season by an NCAA suspension (for signing autographs for payment) and a season-ending knee injury against Auburn. He still rushed for 911 yards and nine TDs that season.