When the Broncos revamped their running back room this spring, there were several boxes the team needed to check off before breaking camp to start the season. The team's decision makers decided to move forward with the combination of RJ Harvey and JK Dobbins, and it appears to be the correct decision by most accounts.
Two of the biggest boxes that needed to be checked off were the ability to produce in 2025, while also building for the future. With the explosive Harvey still finding his footing early in his NFL career, Dobbins has been a savior for Sean Payton and the Broncos' offense, and is set up for a huge week this week in Los Angeles.
Dobbins has been incredibly effective so far and is running better than any Broncos back since Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon in 2021, but is also catalyzing a Broncos culture that appears to be one of the best in football. Dobbins is serving not only as a key offensive piece, but also shows just how much the Broncos' culture has grown under Payton.
Dobbins is taking Harvey in under his wing while being their most important offensive player through the first two games
In a story for Broncos reporter Mike Klis of 9News, Dobbins shared his thoughts on his job as both a starter for the team and a mentor to rookie RJ Harvey. He not only referred to his relationship with Harvey as like having a little brother, but he seemed to take personal pride in his production.
He told Klis that he feels that "it’s my job to help the young man get to where he needs to go because eventually I’m going to retire and when I retire I want to look back and say I really helped that kid." He might only be 26, but it's incredibly clear that Dobbins is ready to be a leader in the clubhouse, and a key piece to Sean Payton's culture.
Coincidentally enough, Dobbins called back to his first few years in Baltimore, where his veteran was Mark Ingram, who spent ten seasons as a New Orleans Saint under Payton. Dobbins said that Ingram "would always give what was right by me. I saw that and it meant … Mark and I are still best friends today. He was a great mentor, a great veteran."
With a former Sean Payton guy in Ingram being such an impact on Dobbins, it is great to see Dobbins wanting to have the same impact on Harvey. When a team can have players ready to be mentors, while also producing and contributing at a high level, it presents a perfectly happy medium of winning now and setting up to win in the future. If the Broncos can find that happy middle, the franchise will be in an awesome spot.