Michael Turner earned his nickname "The Burner" for good reason. In his five years with Atlanta, he has been known to crush defenses, thriving on yards after contact. However, in 2012, The Burner became more of a "slow roaster." Turner delivered his worst season with the Falcons, while the team had one of their best in franchise history. After drafting Jacquizz Rodgers in 2011, the Falcons are rumored to be sending Turner on his way in return for some younger legs.
Turner, who just turned 31, rushed for a mere 800 yards in 2012. That is his lowest total in five seasons with Atlanta. There are a lot of excuses that can be made for this. With the emergence of Rodgers, there went Turner having to carry the load of the running game. For Turner's first four years with the team, he was premier back getting all the carries. They no longer need him to carry the ball 20 to 25 times a game for 1,300 yards a season.
When offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter arrived last season, he decided to make the offense a pass-first unit, therefore decreasing Turner's load even more. With premier receivers in Roddy White and Julio Jones, quarterback Matt Ryan is happier throwing 20 yards down the field than handing off to Turner for maybe three or five yards.
Turner looked significantly slower in 2012, no longer adding that burst of speed on to the end of his runs. He had 10 touchdowns this season, seven coming in the second half of 2012, and only averaged 5.8 yards per carry in the Falcons' playoff run. He will never be a 1,000-yard rusher again.
Then there is the issue of Turner's contract. He is scheduled to make $6.9 million in 2013, counting $8.9 million against the salary cap. Releasing Turner would instantly free up $6.4 million for the team to work with.
To give Rodgers another back to share the running game with, the Falcons could target a free agent like Ahmad Bradshaw or Steven Jackson. However, if they want someone for cheap, late rounds of the NFL draft have proved fruitful for running backs. The Falcons do not need to go out and get the next super star, just someone that can run in tandem with Rodgers who can do a little of everything.
While injury issues are not an issue for Turner, his lack of production is. His decrese in numbers in 2012 kissed his future with the Falcons goodbye. The Falcons decided to start Rodgers over Turner in their final three games of the season, opening the door for him to become the future of the team. With his inflated contract and poor numbers, Atlanta is all but certain to release him.
