The Denver Broncos were dealt a huge injury blow a few weeks ago when JK Dobbins suffered what could be a season-ending foot injury thanks to a hip-drop tackle from Raiders' DE Tyree Wilson. Dobbins was tackled illegally, but no flag was thrown.
Somehow, Dobbins finished the game, but the injury is quite serious, and the only shot that Dobbins could return is likely if Denver is playing in the Super Bowl, which isn't impossible. Since Dobbins left the lineup, the team's run game has suffered, and left guard Ben Powers being out does not help.
If nothing else, the Broncos should be getting Powers back in the lineup in the near future, and this could give a key Broncos' rookie that much better of a chance for the Broncos to have JK Dobbins pushed out of the picture after 2025.
RJ Harvey might make it easy for the Denver Broncos to move on from JK Dobbins
As big of a fan I am of JK Dobbins, his health is a concern. Dobbins was on pace to shatter the 1,000-yard mark this year on the ground, which would have been his first in the NFL. He's never played more than 15 games in a season, and that was all the way back as a rookie.
Well, the Broncos used a second-round pick on RJ Harvey, a feisty running back from UCF. Harvey has definitely been a bit of a weapon out of the backfield, as he's racked up eight touchdowns and 501 yards from scrimmage. Harvey is averaging 4.8 yards per touch but just 3.8 yards per carry.
In the coming weeks, RJ Harvey is likely going to get the bulk of the carries, and this would be a perfect time for the rookie to hit his stride. Simply put, Denver isn't going to go far in the playoffs unless the run game gets going.
With Powers likely returning soon, and Harvey only getting more experience, the Broncos could see their future RB1 blossom before their eyes, and while it might not be the popular move, letting JK Dobbins depart in free agency could be the logical decision after that.
In today's NFL, many running backs can catch on quite quickly and don't necessarily need a long development period like other positions need. If RJ Harvey isn't really flashing as a runner the rest of the way, Denver would be in trouble and might bring Dobbins back.
But the complete opposite could happen, and it could then paint a great picture for the future of the offense if it does.