Falcons offensive coordinator: Health only question mark for Todd Gurley

Perhaps the biggest move of the Atlanta Falcons' offseason was signing former L.A. Rams running back Todd Gurley, as the team is hopeful he will bolster a backfield that has lost Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman in the last two years. Falcons offensive coordinator Dick Koetter is confident that Gurley has the talent to once again be among the NFL's elite running backs, it's just a question of if he can stay healthy.

"He's only 25 years old and he's had two seasons where he was arguably the best running back in football,'' Koetter said of Gurley. "This guy, when he's at his best, he's got speed, he's got power, he can break tackles, he's elusive, he can catch the ball out of the backfield. We've all seen what he can do. His accolades speak for themselves. We just have to see how healthy he is and how consistently he can do it. He can still do it. It's just a matter of how often can he do it."

Gurley was drafted in the first round of the 2015 draft by the Rams and quickly established himself as an elite runner, gaining over 1,000 yards on the ground in his first season. However, injuries have kept him off the field, as he has only played all 16 games once in his five seasons in the league. The Rams cut Gurley in March and he signed with Falcons on a one-year, $5.5 million contract.

Koetter is confident that Gurley will thrive in the Falcons' offense, noting that is a similar system to what he played in during his time with the Rams.

"Todd has had an unbelievable career and is a heck of a player,'' Koetter said. "I think it's also really fortunate for us that he's coming from a real similar offensive system terminology-wise. The run game is very similar, conceptually, to what they were doing in L.A."