Gurley would welcome Beckham
Running back says it would be ‘awesome’ if the Rams were to add the talented receiver.
The reigning NFL offensive player of the year played for the league’s highestscoring team and led the league in touchdowns.
But Rams running back Todd Gurley said Thursday night that there was plenty of room in the offense for more playmakers.
Like receiver Odell Beckham Jr.?
Beckham, the New York Giants star, has been linked to the Rams since news broke this week that the Giants were shopping — or at least testing the market for — a playmaker seeking a mega-extension as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. Gurley knows Beckham. “Oh yeah, that’s my guy,” Gurley said at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in West Hollywood, where he took part in an event hosted by Roc Nation, his representation firm.
Like coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead, Gurley appeared wary of saying too much about a player on another team.
But when told that McVay spoke this week about how Beckham, hypothetically, might fit into a highpowered offense that features Gurley and quarterback Jared Goff, Gurley agreed with McVay’s assessment that there are always enough snaps to keep everyone happy.
“There’s always enough snaps,” Gurley, speaking hypothetically, said with a broad grin. “There’s always enough snaps.
“If we had him, man, it would be awesome. I’d be happy, Goff will be happy, coach McVay will be happy, [owner Stan] Kroenke, the whole team would be.”
The New York Daily News, citing an unnamed source, reported this week that Beckham had told “a couple” of Rams players that he “wants in.”
Asked whether Beckham has expressed interest to him about coming to L.A., Gurley smiled.
“Hmm, I don’t want to say all that,” he said. “That’s my boy.”
Gurley then joined Lakers rookie Josh Hart and musical artist Normani in the “Off Script CEO Connect” event, which gave the trio an opportunity to introduce themselves to brand executives.
Gurley has endorsement deals with Nike and Gatorade among others.
“He knows what it takes to be great on the field and he’s also matured and hit his stride,” Michael Yormark, Roc Nation’s president and chief of branding and strategy, said of Gurley, adding, “He understands the landscape and he understands what the expectations are, and he probably also has a better feel for what he wants to become on the field and off the field.”
The hotel where the event was held is located less than three miles from the Hollywood Boulevard location where Gurley participated in a photo shoot for an NFL sportswear advertising campaign two years ago.
At the time, Gurley was coming off a 2015 season that earned him the NFL offensive rookie of the year award. His profile was expected to grow with the Rams’ return to Los Angeles from St. Louis.
But Gurley struggled in 2016.
The Rams fired coach Jeff Fisher with three games left in the season, finished 412 and ranked as the league’s worst offense for the second year in a row.
The hiring of the offenseminded McVay changed everything.
Tackle Andrew Whitworth and center John Sullivan solidified the offensive line. Goff developed into a top-10 passer. Receivers Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Sammy Watkins were reliable targets.
And Gurley reemerged with one of the most productive seasons in Rams history.
He rushed for 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns and caught a team-best 64 passes for 788 yards and six touchdowns.
The Rams won the NFC West but lost to Atlanta in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
They appear poised to take the next step after recently adding Pro Bowl cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
“I love it, man,” Gurley said of his new teammates. “That’s like motivation for everybody.
“Since they’ve been signing, I’m like starting to work out twice a day because it’s a good opportunity this year.
“It looks great on paper but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t get anything done during the season.”