10:05pm: Chubb’s terms do resemble Dobbins’, as Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports the sixth-year back will join the Broncos for $2.75MM in base value. The contract can max out at $5.25MM through incentives. The incentives will be tied to yards from scrimmage, Florio adds. Rushing yards also factor into the incentive package, per 9News’ Mike Klis.
2:37pm: J.K. Dobbins left his Denver visit without a contract, but the sides circled back to such business. The 2024 Chargers starter is indeed committing to the Broncos, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports.
Dobbins agreed on a one-year deal to join the team, which will be his third in three seasons. This will be a notable change for Denver, which used a second-round pick on R.J. Harvey in the draft. Dobbins’ signing comes a day after the Texans gave Nick Chubb a $2.5MM deal; it will be interesting to see if Dobbins’ Broncos terms are similar.
The Chargers had placed a UFA tender on Dobbins in May, but like Elijah Moore, such a move will not lead to a return. The Bolts had made other plans this offseason, signing Najee Harris and using a first-round pick on Omarion Hampton.
Tuesday’s signing could mark a significant change for the team, which lost primary 2024 starter Javonte Williams in free agency. That said, Denver still employs rookie-contract holdovers in Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime. The latter’s path to a notable role may well become blocked by Dobbins, who delivered a bounce-back season in Los Angeles following an injury-plagued Baltimore stay. Dobbins would stand to pair with Harvey, offering a seasoned early-downs option to go with the team’s No. 60 overall choice.
Sean Payton, who confirmed Tuesday (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson) the team was close to signing Dobbins, had said the Broncos viewed Harvey as a three-down back. It would not seem the team has changed its stance so soon on the Central Florida product, as shoulder pads do not come on until early in training camp, but it does appear the Broncos may not be ready to give the prospect a three-down role from the start. Dobbins represents high-end insurance, and a committee would seem likely based on this agreement.
Denver used a committee approach last season, primarily giving time to Williams and McLaughlin. The latter is a third-year UDFA who has operated as a change-of-pace option and pass-game weapon. Dobbins’ signing would not stand to affect McLaughlin’s aerial role, but Harvey’s arrival certainly could. One season remains on McLaughlin’s rookie contract; three are left on Estime’s. The Broncos used a fifth-round pick to bring in Estime out of Notre Dame, but an early-season injury and fumbling issues plagued his rookie year. Not much of an outlet option for Bo Nix, Estime looks to have seen his stock fall during the Broncos’ offseason program.
Dobbins, 26, finished second in Comeback Player of the Year voting — behind Joe Burrow — last season. Given a one-year, $1.61MM deal that included just $50K guaranteed, the former Ravens second-rounder overtook the higher-paid Gus Edwards to become the Bolts’ starter. Dobbins averaged 4.6 yards per carry, accumulating 905 to help the Chargers to the playoffs. Jim Harbaugh used a more run-focused offense last season, and Dobbins also managed to shake off another injury — a midseason MCL sprain — to return and help a late-season charge to the wild-card round.
Next Gen Stats’ rush yards over expected metric placed Dobbins 12th last season (115); Williams (minus-83) landed near the bottom of that chart. Williams has not been the same since a 2022 injury, ACL and LCL tears, but the Broncos will now turn to a player with a more significant medical sheet. Dobbins has missed 46 games since suffering a late-summer ACL tear in 2021. That injury cost him nine games in 2022, which required an IR stint after he had returned, and an Achilles tear cost the Ohio State product 16 games in 2023.
Payton regularly relied on backfield committees in New Orleans, as Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram respectively gave way to flashier options in Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara. Dobbins-Harvey appears the veteran HC’s next top duo, as the Broncos ranked 16th in rushing yards last season. Nix contributed 430 to the team’s cause; he will now have more help on the ground.
Injuries have crushed Dobbins’ NFL earning potential, but his Chargers reemergence will present an opportunity — via this Broncos commitment — at building up more value during his mid-20s.
Sean Payton never wants you to feel good about betting on one of his running backs in fantasy football.
Seriously. RJ Harvey owners, like myself are crying.
MB81, you already drafted???
I think most leagues are done with rookie draft season no?
Ah, I’m in a different type of league. We don’t do our draft until the week the season starts. Helps avoid drafting guys with those season ending injuries that happen in preseason or training camp.
Harvey’s role may start off small but I expect him to become more involved as the season goes on. He’ll be involved in the passing game, and as much as I like Dobbins, he can’t be expected to play a full season.
Haven’t started mine for any three of my leagues
I think this is a sign of a lack of faith that there’s a lead back among the group they had in camp. Denver does occasionally strike out on free agent running back signings though, like Jamaal Charles. Melvin Gordon was good, but he was done as soon as he started fumbling.
This may indicate Payton doesn’t trust Estime but it definitely doesn’t mean he has soured on Harvey at all. Rumors have been swirling for months about the Broncos signing Dobbins and now he came cheaper than he would have earlier. They wanted a proven veteran RB
Estime is still young, and more of a goal line bruiser. I think it falls more into line he doesn’t trust McLaughlin and badie, whom I think are both cut candidates. McLaughlin is too small to block, and for all his accomplishments in college, and flashes he’s shown, hasn’t panned out. Look at Harvey, dobbins, and estime as a committee. With McLaughlin and Badie being cut. And Blake Watson on the practice squad again.
They’re paying Dobbins less than about a dozen punters make. I don’t think this means anything too damning about their other backs.
How quickly they forget Deuce McCallister! When healthy, he was a monster and a huge part of Payton’s first RB trio.
Something to be said about catching your breathe while someone else pounds the D line.
Signing aged broken down RBs to one year rental deals rather than trying to develop a younger prospect isn’t the approach I would take but occasionally it can work. Adrian Peterson hasn’t officially retired so when can he expect a call?
I was amazed that people still play Fantasy Football.
Yeah, it seems pretty obvious that the next big trend will be Fantasy FLAG football 🙂
This take is a joke. Take your young RBs and put them behind veterans. Go ahead let Bo Nix have a rookie picking up pass rush…. go ahead. I dare you.
Calling a 26 year old coming off a strong season aged and broken down is certainly a take.
If there were any expectations of him performing well again why was he only offered a one year deal?
Because of his injury history, obviously?
Denver is quietly putting together a real good team right now. Bo Nix has another ascending year and this a playoff team who can win a playoff game as a floor.