J.K. Dobbins is officially joining the Denver Broncos on a one-year deal. Per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the deal will be worth $5.25 million. Dobbins toured the team facility last week and also had dinner with the coaches, clearly liking what he saw from the organization. The former Ravens and Chargers running back will be bolstering a backfield that struggled to find consistency last season.
However, the run game has been a clear focal point for Denver this offseason. They drafted R.J. Harvey from UCF in the second round and let Javonte Williams walk in free agency. While there are still questions surrounding the Broncos and who their lead running back will be, J.K. Dobbins will at least provide some much-needed depth to Denver’s backfield.
J.K. Dobbins Inks One-Year Contract With Broncos Worth $5.25 Million
J.K. Dobbins’ Career
Unfortunately for Dobbins, injuries have hampered much of his potential. Still, he is only entering year five of his NFL career, meaning he could still have yet to hit his stride. Throughout Dobbins’ career, he has tallied 2,252 rushing yards, 21 rushing touchdowns, and 60.9 rushing yards per game. In his one year with the Los Angeles Chargers last season, J.K. Dobbins underwent a bit of a revitalization. During that campaign, Dobbins had nine rushing touchdowns, a career-best 1,058 total yards, and 32 catches on 38 targets in the passing game. This caught the Broncos’ eye, as they have now snagged the former Ohio State Buckeye from their division rival.
His Potential Impact on Denver’s Backfield
With Dobbins now in the fold, it is difficult to tell who the true lead back will be for the Denver Broncos. As alluded to already, the team did draft R.J. Harvey, who many peers considered one of the sleepers of the NFL Draft. Harvey has excelled in the offseason workouts, and it has caught the eye of key teammates such as left tackle Garett Bolles.
“You want to think he’s a rookie, but he’s a dog,” Bolles said in The Denver Post. “You see him in minicamp — excuse me, OTAs. What he’s done, he’s caught onto the playbook, and he has the speed that we need.”
Considering all of this, the Broncos’ running game should improve this coming season. They ranked 16th in team rushing yards per game (112.2) last season and had a tendency to become one-dimensional, relying heavily on their passing attack at times. With a revamped backfield, Denver is hopeful it can take some of the pressure off quarterback Bo Nix as he enters his second NFL season.
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