The Denver Broncos have to pursue free agent running back JK Dobbins, and there are several obvious reasons why. It's actually a shock that the Broncos have not made this move yet, but I guess there's a reason why it hasn't been done.
Denver saw Javonte Williams depart in free agency, and as crazy as it sounds, that may have made the RB room worse. The Broncos must improve their RB room this offseason, and fortunately, the 2025 NFL Draft is absolutely stacked at the position.
However, rookies don't always pan out, and just because there seems to be a lot of high-end running backs in the draft, doesn't not mean they will all turn into efficient, NFL-caliber RBs.
Let's cover five reasons why Denver must sign free agent RB JK Dobbins.
5 reasons why the Denver Broncos must sign free agent RB JK Dobbins
He just turned 26 years old
JK Dobbins was a second-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens back in the 2020 NFL Draft. He just turned 26 years old, so he would fit the youth movement that the Broncos are pushing with some of their positions on the roster.
Yes, RBs tend to have a shorter shelf life in the NFL, but let's not pretend that JK Dobbins is old or anything. He still has a good bit of youth on his side.
He'll be cheap
With how deep the RB class is in the 2025 NFL Draft, there is reason to believe that JK Dobbins is not going to cost much at all. No free agent running back scored a notable contract this offseason. The richest RB contract that was signed this offseason was Najee Harris getting a one-year deal that has a base value of $5.25 million.
The second-richest RB contract signed this offseason in terms of annual value belongs to Javonte Williams, who scored a $3 million deal with the Dallas Cowboys, but that deal has just $1 million guaranteed. JK Dobbins is not going to cost much at all against the cap.
He could benefit from the Denver Broncos elite training staff
It's unfortunate how many games JK Dobbins has missed. He missed one game in 2020, all 17 in 2021, nine in 2022, 16 in 2023, and four in 2024. Out of a possible 84 games, Dobbins has managed to play in just 37.
However, the Denver Broncos clearly has an elite training staff, so you have to wonder just how many games they'd be able to keep him on the field. We've seen Denver become one of the least-injured teams in the NFL since Sean Payton took over in 2023 and brought in a new staff.
That isn't some silly coincidence - and the Broncos are plenty good enough to take a chance on a very good player who struggles with injuries. This is the type of signing that Denver has to make.
He's quite good...
He'd be the Broncos best running back by a long-shot. Despite not even playing in half of the possible games, Dobbins has still rushed for 2,252 yards and 21 touchdowns. He's averaged 5.2 yards per carry and averages 60.9 yards per game.
Across a 17-game season, Dobbins is actually averaging 1,035 yards, 10 touchdowns, and another 152 receiving yards. This player, point-blank-period, is quite productive when he's on the field. In 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers, Dobbins rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games.
Had Dobbins played a full 17 games in 2024, he'd have been on pace for 1,183 yards and 12 touchdowns. Just imagine for a second if the Broncos were able to acquire that backfield production...
Fear of the unknown with the 2025 NFL Draft
There are a ton of high-end RB prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the Denver Broncos are not guaranteed to get any of the top RBs on their board, and just because certain RB prospects are highly-rated down, does not mean they will pan out in the NFL. Signing JK Dobbins covers the Broncos rear end in the event they don't land a top RB prospect they have in mind.
It also helps them out if the RB they end up drafting is a slow-developer in the NFL. There has to be a degree of unknown that the Denver Broncos have to prepare for.