The Facts:
Even with Todd Gurley on the active roster, and potentially being available for opening day, the last thing the Rams want to do is rush him back. With that in mind Mason, impressive as a rookie a year ago, is still expected to get the lion’s share of the carries early in the season.
Diehards Line:
Contrary to some national speculation last week, Gurley will not begin training camp on the PUP list. Instead, he will start training camp Friday on the active roster and be available to practice. So the chances of Gurley being ready on opening day, Sept. 13 in the Edward Jones Dome against defending NFC champion Seattle, just went up. That doesn’t mean he’ll get 20 or 25 touches against the Seahawks, but he could be a factor. In addition to Mason, Benny Cunningham has proven to be a capable rotation player and third-down back. But as Post-Dispatch staffer Jim Thomas notes, even a Gurley who sees limited duty in the early going should make the Rams a better offense and potentially help the team avoid the slow starts to the season that have plagued Fisher’s first three Rams teams.