Since he was selected No. 10 overall in the 2015 NFL Draft, Todd Gurley has been one of the most productive players in the NFL.
He's taken 1,042 carries and caught 187 passes — giving him a combined 1,229 touches over four years. Gurley's been especially productive in the last two seasons under head coach Sean McVay, with a combined 658 touches for 3,924 yards from scrimmage with 40 total touchdowns in the regular season.
Check out the best photos of the Rams running backs from the 2018 season.
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) celebrates a touchdown during an NFL Divisional playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on January 12th, 2019at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. (Hiro Ueno/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back Malcolm Brown (34) runs the ball during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Hiro Ueno/Rams)
Running back (34) Malcolm Brown of the Los Angeles Rams scores a two point conversion against the Arizona Cardinals during the Rams 34-0 victory over the Cardinals in an NFL Week 2 football game, Sunday, September 16, 2018, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back C.J. Anderson (35) runs the ball during the NFC Championship Game against the New Orleans Saints on January 20th, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Hiro Ueno/Rams)
Running-back #34 Malcolm Brown of the Los Angeles Rams during the Rams 54-51 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in an NFL season game eleven match , on November 19, 2018. (Photo By: Daniel Bowyer / Rams)
Running-back #42 John John Kelly of the Los Angeles Rams during the 48-32 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL season game sixteen match , on December 30, 2018. (Photo By: Daniel Bowyer / Rams)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams holds the George Halas Trophy in the locker room with (35) CJ Anderson and (42) John Kelly after the Rams 26-23 victory over the Saints in the NFC Championship Game, Sunday, January 20, 2019, in New Orleans, LA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back Malcolm Brown (34) rushes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018 (Hiro Ueno/Rams).
Running back (35) CJ Anderson of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 26-23 victory over the Saints in the NFC Championship Game, Sunday, January 20, 2019, in New Orleans, LA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (34) Malcolm Brown of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass and runs for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 35-45 loss to the Saints in an NFL Week 9 regular season football game, Sunday, November 4, 2018, in New Orleans, LA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back Justin Davis plays against the Minnesota Vikings during an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Quarterback (16) Jared Goff passes the ball to Running back (34) Malcolm Brown of the Los Angeles Rams faces off against the Kansas City Chiefs on a Monday Night Football matchup at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Rams win 54-51 in an NFL Week 11 game, Monday, November 19, 2018, Los Angeles, CA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) celebrates a touchdown during an NFL Football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Hiro Ueno/Rams)
Running back (34) Malcolm Brown of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass and runs for a touchdown and celebrates against the New Orleans Saints during the Rams 35-45 loss to the Saints in an NFL Week 9 regular season football game, Sunday, November 4, 2018, in New Orleans, LA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (33) Justin Davis of the Los Angeles Rams against the Seattle Seahawks during the Rams 33-31 victory over the Seahawks in an NFL Week 5 football game at CenturyLink Field, Sunday, October 7, 2018, in Seattle, WA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) runs the ball in for a touchdown during an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday December 16th, 2018 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. (Hiro Ueno/NFL)
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) celebrates a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018 (Hiro Ueno/Rams).
Running back Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass and runs for a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the Rams 29-27 victory over the Packers in an NFL Week 8 regular season football game, Sunday, October 28, 2018, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball and scores a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during the Rams 23-20 victory over the Broncos in an NFL Week 6 football game, Sunday, October 14, 2018, in Denver, CO. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back #30 Todd Gurley of The Los Angeles Rams celebrates after a touchdown during the 33-31 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in an NFL season game five match, at CenturyLink field, on October 7, 2018, in Seattle Washington. (Daniel Bowyer/Rams)
Running back #30 Todd Gurley of The Los Angeles Rams celebrates after a touchdown during the 33-31 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in an NFL season game five match, at CenturyLink field, on October 7, 2018, in Seattle Washington. (Daniel Bowyer/Rams)
Running-back #42 John John Kelly of the Los Angeles Rams during the 48-32 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL season game sixteen match , on December 30, 2018. (Photo By: Daniel Bowyer / Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley (30) celebrates a touchdown catch with fans during an NFL Week 4 Football game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Thursday Night Football game was simulcast on NFL Network, FOX, and Amazon Prime Video at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. on September 27th, 2018 (Hiro Ueno/Rams).
Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball for a touchdown and celebrates against the Seattle Seahawks during the Rams 33-31 victory over the Seahawks in an NFL Week 5 football game at CenturyLink Field, Sunday, October 7, 2018, in Seattle, WA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and running back C.J. Anderson (35) celebrate a touchdown during an NFL Divisional playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on January 12th, 2019at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. (Hiro Ueno/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back C.J. Anderson (35) celebrates with running back Todd Gurley (30) during an NFL divisional football playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, in Los Angeles (Jacob Gonzalez via AP)
Los Angeles Rams running back John Kelly (42), running back Todd Gurley (30), running back Malcolm Brown (34), and running back Justin Davis (33) make their way through the tunnel prior to an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Hiro Ueno/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16), wide receiver Brandin Cooks (12) and running back C.J. Anderson (35) celebrate a touchdown during an NFL Divisional playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on January 12th, 2019at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. (Hiro Ueno/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams running back Malcolm Brown (34), running back Todd Gurley (30), and running back John Kelly (42) prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on 9/23/18 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. (Rams/Hiro Ueno)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley and Running back (35) C.J. Anderson of the Los Angeles Rams takes a moment to enjoy their victory against the San Francisco 49ers at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Rams win 48-32 in an NFL Week 17 game, Sunday, December 30, 2018, Los Angeles, CA. (Will Navarro/Rams)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams arrives at the stadium in the locker room with (42) John Kelly and (33) Justin Davis before the Rams 26-23 victory over the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game, Sunday, January 20, 2019, in New Orleans, LA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (35) CJ Anderson of the Los Angeles Rams runs the ball for a touchdown and celebrates against the San Francisco 49ers during the Rams 48-32 victory over the 49ers in an NFL Week 17 regular season football game, Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Los Angeles, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Robert Woods (17), running back C.J. Anderson (35), and wide receiver Josh Reynolds (83) celebrate a touchdown during an NFL Divisional playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on January 12th, 2019at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif. (Hiro Ueno/Rams)
As you're surely aware, Gurley missed the last two games of the regular season after suffering a knee injury. And though he rushed for 115 yards on 16 carries against the Cowboys in the Divisional Round, Gurley had just 45 yards rushing on 14 carries combined in the Conference Championship and Super Bowl LIII.
Gurley and McVay have both been consistent in saying that the running back was healthy during the postseason — which is what Gurley's performance against the Cowboys would suggest. And McVay reiterated at the NFL Combine last week that Gurley has no surgeries scheduled for this offseason.
Still, there is an element of wear and tear that McVay and general manager Les Snead are aware of. And that's why both said last week that Los Angeles would like to manage Gurley's workload going forward, especially considering Gurley's history after tearing his ACL during his final year at Georgia back in 2014.
"[O]ver that time there's an element of wear and tear and I think we have to determine in two stages," Snead said last week. "Are we going to give him the amount of load that he's had in the past or are we going to lessen that load and, let's say keep him fresher for the season and for seasons beyond? And then, if you go that route, you have to have a good let's call it Batman and Robin combination or add another superhero figure into that and figure out how you're gonna do it. So we're in the process of figuring that out."
"And I do think Todd, in his career — and it happens to a lot of young guys — all of a sudden they wake up [and] it's like a marathon runner," Snead added. "If you run a lot of marathons all of a sudden you wake up and you're sorer than you were the day before so recovery and things like that have to come into it. So it's something we want to be intentional about and proactive."
McVay had much the same message in describing how the Rams would like to move forward with Gurley.
"You want to be able to first and foremost sit down and talk with Todd, figure out what is the best way to really navigate the way to maximize his skill set but then also have a long-term vision for the 16 games that you are guaranteed, and then hopefully if you're fortunate enough to get some action after that. So those are things that you definitely want to think through," McVay said.
"I think that he's done such a great job of being able to hold up. I mean when you look at really specifically the last two years, what he's been able to do from a production standpoint is unmatched. And then, really, how do you have a long-term vision for him where he's still able to be the caliber of player that we've been accustomed to seeing from Todd that is making an impact in the run and the pass, he's great in protection — so all those things do come into play."
"But I think a lot of that is predicated on, all right what is the vision and then what are the players that you do have, what kind of personnel groups? And then you know C.J. [Anderson] did such a nice job coming in that I think it enabled us to be able to be a little bit more balanced and cognizant of all right how do we manage those snaps and things of that nature."
So both McVay and Snead mentioned having another option at running back that can come in and be productive to help spell Gurley. Running back Malcolm Brown showed he has the potential to be that guy, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 10.4 yards per reception in 2018 before going down with a season-ending clavicle injury in December. Brown, however, had played only 15 percent of offensive snaps to that point.
Brown is now a restricted free agent, whereas Anderson — who rushed for 299 yards combined in Weeks 16 and 17 — is an unrestricted free agent. The Rams could elect to bring either back for that second "superhero figure," sign another free agent, elevate the roles of the backs already on the roster in Justin Davis and John Kelly, or select a player in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Either way, it's fair to expect that the Rams will have an altered plan for the running back position heading into 2019.
