After a week of deliberation following a highly-publicized visit to Denver, the Broncos have stamped another high-impact name to beef up their backfield.
The club has signed former Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins to a one-year contract, a source confirmed to The Denver Post. A 2020 second-round pick, Dobbins has struggled with injuries throughout his career but has proven upside when healthy, rushing for 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games in 2024.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton played coy when asked about Dobbins’ signing after Tuesday’s minicamp, as the news broke just a minute before his appearance in front of media.
“I’m not going to answer to any reports,” Payton said. “I think we’re close.”
They’re more than close, however. Dobbins will officially join a backfield already teeming with names, as a variety of returners have jockeyed for snaps across OTAs and minicamp. Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin seemed primed for sizeable roles again in 2025, with Tyler Badie and Blake Watson also in contention for a greater slice of the pie.
“They’re gonna get opportunities — I said it earlier, much earlier,” Payton said Tuesday. “I said, look, Audric’s going to get opportunities. We’ve seen Jaleel. But don’t try to figure out the club right now.”
On paper, though, Denver’s primary one-two backfield punch could consist of two newcomers this fall: 2025 second-round pick RJ Harvey and Dobbins. Payton has historically preferred tandems or committees at running back; both rookie Harvey and veteran Dobbins have the capability to run between the tackles and bounce outside, and Dobbins carries some receiving upside, with 32 catches last year for Los Angeles.
The addition carries some risk, as Dobbins averaged just 3.8 yards per carry after the opening weeks of 2024 and has yet to play a full NFL season across three years in Baltimore and last year in Los Angeles. But it’s a low-cost, high-upside signing for the Broncos, who still carry a healthy dosage of cap space with a couple months before training camp.
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