NFL Free Agency Rumors: 4 Teams Who Could Sign Chargers’ RB JK Dobbins

NFL free agency started with a bang with several players signing record-breaking deals at their respective positions. However, there are still some big names available on the market who could help teams looking for help heading into the NFL Draft.

After signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, J.K. Dobbins is coming off of the best season of his young career.  Dobbins played in 13 games last season, the second-most in his NFL tenure, finishing with 905 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, both career-highs. 

Durability remains a concern for the former second-round pick, who has played just 37 games in four seasons. After starting the season off with back-to-back 100-yard games, Dobbins failed to reach that mark in each of his final 11 regular season appearances. The 26-year-old also missed nearly a month towards the end of the season before returning for the end of the regular season and the AFC Wild Card Game.

Here are four potential teams who could sign Dobbins during free agency.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have revitalized their offense under head coach Sean Payton but the running game left something to be desired in 2024. While Javonte Williams has flashed potential, he never looked fully recovered from the torn ACL and MCL that cut his 2022 season short. Dobbins could provide an ideal replacement for Williams or a productive stop-gap if the Broncos decide to draft a running back in April.

Dobbins’ ability to work in a zone-blocking system would fit well with Denver’s run-first approach, especially with Payton’s penchant for establishing the ground game. And with the Broncos looking to get more balance on offense and alleviate some of the pressure on second-year quarterback Bo Nix, Dobbins could be the spark they need to get their rushing attack back on track. 

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys need to find an answer at running back. Rico Dowdle signed up with Carolina Panthers and Dallas replaced him with oft-injured Javonte Williams. Williams hasn’t looked like the same running back since tearing his ACL and MCL but Dobbins has started to show some of the flashes that made him a second-round pick in 2020. 

Dobbins is a better runner between the tackles and in the red zone while Williams remains a much better pass-catcher than Dobbins, which could help this turn into more of a running back by committee situation. Dobbins could take the bulk of the carries on early downs and in short-yardage situations, while Jones continues to serve as a key weapon in the passing game and a versatile option for third downs.

Both of these backs have injury concerns but Dallas could take a risk on keeping at least one of them healthy throughout the NFL season. 

Cleveland Browns

Cleveland’s offensive line is built for power running, and Dobbins would fit nicely in that system, replacing Nick Chubb’s downhill style with a bit more finesse. The Browns would benefit from Dobbins’ ability to make defenders miss in the open field. He also has a knack for finding the end zone with 22 touchdowns in 37 NFL games. 

The one knock against this move is Dobbins’ injury history, but if the Browns can manage his workload, the upside is significant.

Minnesota Vikings

This move would be some insurance for the Minnesota Vikings offense as it transitions to second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Even though the Vikings re-signed Jones during the offseason, he’s pushing 30 and is coming off of a career-high 255 carries last year.

Signing Dobbins would allow the Vikings to rely more heavily on the run game while McCarthy gets some reps under his belt at the NFL level. While Jones provides a great mix of speed and pass-catching ability, Dobbins would bring a more physical element to the backfield. With a combination of Jones’ burst and Dobbins’ hard-nosed, downhill running style, the Vikings would have one of the most complete backfields in the NFL. 

The addition of Dobbins could help extend Jones’ longevity, allowing the Vikings to keep both backs fresh for a full season.