No one needs much more evidence that big contracts for running backs are mistakes at this point, but Gurley`s disastrous deal with the Rams is likely to have a ripple effect in the league, at least for the few teams considering giving star running backs a big deal. Gurley`s knee problem has made it a DEFCON-1 scenario for the Rams, but the other big contracts signed recently — Devonta Freeman and David Johnson come to mind — don`t look good in hindsight. Right now, any team would prefer to be the Chargers or steelers, who have refused to give them big contracts, rather than the Rams. When Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley and Alvin Kamara soon come up with new contracts, their respective teams will be able to think twice before handing over a contract with a series of zeros at the end. That`s what happens when a team puts a total of $155 million in guaranteed money on quarterback Jared Goff and Gurley. Those big deals also don`t include Jalen Ramsey, for whom the Rams traded back-to-back first-round players during the 2019 season. Ramsey is a free agent after this year and will likely receive a record overtime before the start of the season. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald also has a megadeal, and while this contract is easy to defend, there simply isn`t enough money to run. What they probably didn`t expect was to cut Gurley even before the treaty came into force.

But here we are. What does all this mean? This means that if Gurley stays healthy and productive, he will be paid very well. It also means that if his production slows down and he can still adapt to physical production, the Rams can cut him off and not have to do anything. This is a fairly typical RB contract with economies of scale adjusted for both the current market/salary cap and Gurley`s skills, which are incredibly extensive. This is not the mega contract of $ 15 million a year with 75% of the guaranteed new money reported on Tuesday. b) Many in the ”media” hoped and expected a record running back contract that they could tear apart simply because a team paid for its running back. Le`Veon Bell threatened to suspend an entire season for the Steelers in 2018, much to the laughter of some people who thought it was absurd for a running back to want to get paid after five seasons, two First-team All-Pro winks and leading the NFL into contact the year before. Gurley will join former Rams teammate Dante Fowler Jr. in Atlanta.

The Star Pass player agreed to a three-year, $48 million contract with the Falcons earlier this week, a source told ESPN. Two years after signing Gurley for a long-term contract extension, the Rams announced Thursday that they had fired him. ESPN`s Adam Schefter noted that he would have to make $10.5 million if he stayed on the list. Of course, he wasn`t the only one, as the team released OLB Clay Matthews, CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, DE Morgan Fox, OLB Josh Carraway and CB Donte Deayon. Add these names to the unrestricted free agents whose contracts have expired, and the Rams` current dilemma begins to stoke fear. When the Los Angeles Rams signed Todd Gurley for a four-year extension in 2018, they probably knew there would be a chance he wouldn`t play the entire contract. Players are cut, traded and retire all the time before their contracts wreak havoc, and the way Gurley`s deal was structured allowed the Rams to continue before 2023. Instead of looking smart to make gurley`s deal first, the Rams now have an egg on their faces and are now a warning to give running backs big money deals — especially before it`s needed.

The Los Angeles Rams had painted themselves in a corner this offseason. The team`s contracts for ten unrestricted free agents have expired. The team also risked losing eight other players for other contractual reasons. But worst of all, the team has overloaded significant amounts of the team`s allocation in 2020 for a handful of players. Running back Todd Gurley was always productive. But his field production lagged behind the pay he was supposed to earn this year. So the Rams decided to release him. This week, the Titans beat Derrick Henry with a franchise label instead of signing him to a long-term contract, even after Henry showed one of the best postseason performances of all time. Tennessee will likely have to tear off the patch next season and determine whether it will let go of a star player or give Henry a deal he`s likely to regret. And can you imagine being Jonathan Taylor, J.K. Dobbins, or any other top draft prospect? They could be selected in the first round, but their chances of getting a second contract could be more difficult. The position doesn`t have much value anymore, and the limited durability of the running backs makes a big deal of reckless market.

Fans measure contracts based on the annual average. Agents weigh them based on the guaranteed money and total cash flow in the first three years, as most players who are fired from mega contracts are fired after the third year. This is especially true for running backs because of the wear and tear that the position inflicts on the player. By the way, the Steelers rarely release their expensive contracts after three years. Prior to the 2018 season, the Rams granted Gurley a four-year contract extension of $57.5 million with a $45 million guarantee. He played the first 12 games of this year at the MVP level with 1,649 yards in scrum and 19 touchdowns. For starters, this is a new 6-year contract worth $11.92 million per year. The new money (above what he would have earned in 2018 and 2019 with his old contract) is worth $57.5 million, not the $60 million reported. While there are $2.5 million in incentives available in 2022, they are tied not only to Gurley`s individual performance, but also to that of the team.

This is what the NFL calls the incentive unlikely to be won. Teams like these because they don`t count towards the cap until they`re actually paid. By reloading Gurley`s contract (more than $42 million of the $71.5 million is payable in years 3 to 6) and guaranteeing nothing more than the signing bonus, the Rams built a backdoor into the deal. At any time after 2019, if they decide to part ways with Gurley, they can cut him before the first day of the next league year and owe him nothing. This saves them up to $37,028,284 in actual dollars and salary cap dollars. They also see net savings in capped dollars after the dead money that creates his release. In other words, its release after 2019 creates Cap Space, it doesn`t add it. ProFootballTalk`s Mike Florio reported in April that while the Rams cut Gurley before the league`s third new year day — which avoided another $10.5 million payment — Los Angeles already owed Gurley a fully guaranteed $7.55 million roster bonus, which is likely what the Triple Pro Bowl running back is probably referring to. We say ”probably” because the Rams should be entitled to partial compensation based on Gurley`s new one-year contract with the Falcons.

Even if it`s not $7.55 million, the Rams still have to pay the money Gurley owes him. There are several reasons why the Rams find themselves in this situation, including the fact that Gurley`s knee appears to have deteriorated shortly after signing the contract. But the biggest source of blame is the front office that distributed this deal. Just think about it for a second. The Rams were so desperate to leave Gurley before he could downplay his new contract that they ate more than $20 million to cut him. If that doesn`t admit a mistake, I don`t know what it is. Los Angeles released the 2017 Offensive Player of the Year and his huge contract on Thursday. But the team still has big contract decisions ahead of it and little draft capital to bolster its roster. Running back Todd Gurley agreed to a contract with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, a day after he was released by the Los Angeles Rams. The worst part is that all this could have been avoided. The Rams signed Gurley for an extension with two years left on his contract.

Had he played the entire duration of his rookie contract, he would have earned $11.95 million, including the option for the fifth year in 2019. This is proof of a botched contractual situation of the organization, which will set the team back in the coming years. In an alternate universe, the Rams would have let Gurley play his rookie contract, he would have entered free agency this offseason and would still have signed with the Falcons. Then the only money that`s really guaranteed is the $21 million signing bonus and Gurley`s base salary for 2018 of $950,000. This represents a total of $21,950,000. Money, but not the $45 million that was brought in. The rest of the $45 million guarantee is only guaranteed for injuries. In other words, it`s a good insurance policy if Gurley is seriously injured, but it`s not a real guarantee. The contract is broken down below. ”We certainly owe them money.

That money is guaranteed, we`ll pay for it,” Snead told nfl Network via ESPN. ”There`s wording in the contract, when exactly you pay for it, and that`s what we stick to.