The Atlanta Falcons are reinforcing themselves on the offensive in the Free Agency. But how strong is star running back Todd Gurley? The Falcons’ success depends on other factors as well.

Two years without a playoff must be enough. The Atlanta Falcons want to get back into the post season and they want to do so with all their might. Atlanta has been very busy at the Free Agency.

With Tight End Hayden Hurst and Running Back Todd Gurley, the franchise was able to significantly improve the already strong offense around quarterback Matt Ryan and the two receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley on paper.

And the talent of the offense is not only channelled at the top. Following the recent commitments, the Falcons’ attack department has more former first-round draft picks under contract than any other team since the draft was introduced.

All sunshine in Atlanta, you’d think.

No team has started 10 offensive players who were selected in the first round during the Common Draft Era since 1967, per @eliassports. pic.twitter.com/wi9qro4GNq

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 21, 2020

Gurley can take offense to a new level
After his release from the Los Angeles Rams, the signing of Todd Gurley was a real coup. For a comparatively moderate six million dollars, you get one of the best running backs in recent years, which is unrivalled in terms of productivity since he joined the league.

In the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Gurley ran the league into the ground, scoring a total of 3924 scrimmage yards and 40 touchdowns. In those seasons he averaged 4.8 yards per carry.

In 2019, his performance dropped dramatically due to persistent knee problems. Gurley was simply no longer able to play the usual workhorse of the offense and was not limited to the playoffs. The All Pro of the two years before only managed 3.8 yards per run.

Although he still scored 14 touchdowns, his 857 rushing yards were a career low. The beginning of the end?

Since entering the league, no RB has produced quite like @TG3II. pic.twitter.com/UEcSsIsafc

— NFL (@NFL) March 20, 2020

Condition of Gurley’s knee still precarious
There is still a big question mark over the health of the 25-year-old in 2020. According to “The Athletic”, knee problems are said to still be “very bad”.

Gurley had already suffered a torn cruciate ligament in college in Georgia and the condition of his left knee deteriorated gradually over the years. In June 2019 it was reported that he had arthritis in his knee.

“Once a player suffers from arthritis, you don’t know what will happen,” an unspecified source is quoted in the report as saying, “It’s different for everyone. You play a kind of Russian roulette because you never know how fast it’s going to get worse.”

The “San Diego Union Tribune” even talks about the possibility of stem cell treatment to improve the condition of Gurley’s degenerating knee.

Without that flaw, a player of the Gurley’s grade would never have become available. The Falcons, in contrast to the Rams, have not yet written off the player and take a comparatively low risk with their team-friendly one-year contract.

But the team has even bigger worries a row ahead.

Offensive line as a major weakness
The offensive line of the Falcons may be considered a weakness of the team. So last season they allowed a total of 50 sacks.

If your own quarterback lands on the ground that often, this is most likely an indication that you missed the playoffs. According to “The Athletic”, six of the seven teams that allowed 50 or more sacks missed the Post Season in 2019.

Even more worrying, however, is the blocking for the running backs. On average, only 85.1 rushing yards per game (30th place in the NFL) and 3.8 yards per carry (shared 25th place) were achieved. The Falcons recorded only 362 carries (29th place split) in 16 games, making it one of the worst running games in the league.