John Franklin-Myers, J.K. Dobbins, Alex Singleton Want To Re-Sign With Broncos
Although the Broncos endured some bad luck via the untimely Bo Nix injury, they took care of some key offseason matters early. Denver extended Courtland Sutton, Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto ahead of their contract years before agreeing on deals with Luke Wattenberg, Malcolm Roach and Wil Lutz in-season.
This does not leave many notable free agents for the AFC runner-ups, but there are a few. John Franklin-Myers, Alex Singleton and J.K. Dobbins are unsigned for 2026. While the Broncos are set to finally see Russell Wilson‘s contract come off their books, the team did make a few notable contract decisions over the past several months. That will certainly influence how they proceed in free agency.
Franklin-Myers, Singleton and Dobbins each want to re-sign with the team. Singleton confirmed this (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson), while Franklin-Myers indicated he wants to stay but confirmed the team still has not made him an offer to stay, Tomasson adds. Dobbins expressed interest in a second Broncos contract just before his season-ending Lisfranc injury and reiterated a desire to stay in Denver (via Guerilla Sports’ Brandon Krisztal). Denver is projected to hold more than $27MM in cap space.
It would appear Franklin-Myers is weeks away from signing elsewhere. We have heard for months he was unlikely to fit into the team’s 2026 plans. The Broncos added him in what amounted to a salary-dump trade with the Jets during the 2024 draft. Denver then worked out a renegotiated contract (two years, $15MM) that eclipsed New York’s pay-cut offer. Franklin-Myers became an immediate starter as a 3-4 defensive end, totaling 14.5 sacks and 33 QB hits over the past two seasons.
The Broncos may not have made an offer, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team would “love” to retain the veteran inside rusher. Though, extensive free agency interest is expected to form for a player who has not previously hit the market. Franklin-Myers, 29, was a Jets waiver claim (after the Rams cut him) who then signed a New York extension. Two years remained on that deal when he redid it to facilitate the trade to Denver. He has vaulted into a strong position after two productive Broncos seasons, with Fowler labeling him this year’s top D-tackle free agent.
Sheldon Rankins, Jalen Redmond, Shelby Harris and D.J. Reader are close to the market, but Franklin-Myers will command the most money. Although the Broncos agreed to re-sign D.J. Jones just before free agency last year, their deals with he, Allen and Roach — to go with extensions for Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper — will make it tough to fit another Franklin-Myers pact into the budget.
Denver will have a decision to make on Dre Greenlaw soon. Greenlaw’s 49ers injury trouble led to a deal without any 2026 guarantees at signing. The Broncos can escape the injury-prone linebacker’s contract for $6MM in savings by cutting him before a $2MM guarantee triggers on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. A Greenlaw release could clear a path for Singleton, a four-year Broncos starter who played out a three-year, $18MM contract.
Singleton, however, is now 32; the Broncos also had issues with their linebackers in coverage. The team has LB regular Justin Strnad entering free agency once again as well. A new-look LB corps could be on tap for the Broncos in 2026. Singleton completed a recovery from testicular cancer surgery to return to his starting post soon after the diagnosis. Pro Football Focus rated the ex-Eagle as one of the season’s best run-defending LBs, ranking him 26th overall at the position.
Dobbins’ latest injury will make it difficult for him to command too much, as maladies continue to define his career. While the former Ravens and Chargers starter played well when available, he missed nine games counting the two playoff absences. Dobbins said he was “very close” to being activated off IR, but it had long been reported a Super Bowl return represented the best-case scenario.
Denver certainly missed its starter, who still finished the season with a team-high 772 rushing yards. This came after a career-best 905 with the Chargers, but Dobbins has now missed 55 regular-season games since being a 2020 second-round pick. The Broncos have RJ Harvey signed through 2028, while they can retain Jaleel McLaughlin as an RFA. Dobbins, 27, could be a target to return on another one-year, low-cost deal. But the Broncos also may want to aim for more security as they look to pair Harvey with another starter-level option in 2026.
Broncos Activate C Luke Wattenberg From IR; RB J.K. Dobbins Ruled Out
After losing him for the final couple weeks of the regular season and missing him in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Broncos have activated starting center Luke Wattenberg off their injured reserve in time for tomorrow’s Conference Championship. In a corresponding move, the team placed quarterback Bo Nix on IR following his season-ending ankle injury. 
After playing every snap of the season through 15 games for the Broncos, Wattenberg appeared on the injury report leading into Week 17 with a shoulder issue. Ultimately, it was determined that he would need to be placed on IR with the possibility that he may be able to make a return at about this point of the playoffs.
Denver turned to backup center Alex Forsyth, a third-year lineman taken out of the seventh round from Oregon, to take over in Wattenberg’s absence. Forsyth had previous subbed in as a starter for four games that Wattenberg missed in 2024, as well. In his role as the backup center, Forsyth ended up having some injury issues himself. In both his Week 18 and Divisional Round starts, third-string center Sam Mustipher was tasked with filling in for a couple snaps in place of Forsyth.
Now Wattenberg returns to close out the season for the Broncos, who are limping along at this point after the injury to Nix. The team is also without veteran running back J.K. Dobbins, who was officially ruled out yesterday and will remain on IR, per Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette. Additionally, second-leading wide receiver Troy Franklin seems to be trending in the wrong direction as he attempts to work through a hamstring injury.
As a result, the Broncos are utilizing their two standard gameday practice squad elevations to call up wide receivers Michael Bandy and Elijah Moore for Sunday’s game. Moore was called up last week, as well, but has still yet to make his Broncos debut. According to Tomasson, Moore was aware that he wouldn’t be playing last week and that the elevation was just a way of rewarding him with a full game check. Franklin’s hamstring issue opens the door, though, to some potential playing time for taxi squad pass catchers.
Though the offense isn’t at 100 percent, it’s the Broncos defense that’s gotten them this far. They’ll need that side of the ball to hold off the visiting Patriots enough to allow for backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, rookie running back RJ Harvey, and the rest of the offense to find success at this most crucial point of the season.
Broncos Designate RB J.K. Dobbins For Return From IR
The Broncos will be without their starting quarterback for Sunday’s AFC championship game. There is at least a slight chance their backfield will be at full strength for the contest, however. 
Running back J.K. Dobbins is having his practice window opened, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He adds there is a possibility at this point Dobbins could suit up against the Patriots this week. The likelihood of that taking place will be worth monitoring over the coming days.
A Lisfranc injury suffered in Week 10 threatened to end Dobbins’ 2025 season, his first in Denver. The six-year veteran had enjoyed a productive year up to that point, posting 772 rushing yards in 10 games. The chance of a return in time for the Super Bowl emerged following surgery, however, and that is certainly a possibility with the Broncos one win away from getting there.
Denver’s offense will be a question mark given the fact Bo Nix broke a bone in his right ankle during overtime of the team’s divisional round win. As a result, Jarrett Stidham will handle starting duties after spending each of the past three seasons as the Broncos’ backup (logging only a pair of starts over that span). Needless to say, a strong running game would be welcomed by Denver. A healthy Dobbins would go a long way in ensuring that were possible.
Since Dobbins went down, second-round rookie RJ Harvey has become a key figure on offense. Harvey has posted between 11 and 23 offensive touches each game without Dobbins available. A heavy workload can once again be expected against New England, particularly if Dobbins is not activated from injured reserve in time for the game.
Dobbins, 27, spent the 2024 season with the Chargers after his Ravens tenure came to an end. The Ohio State product is attached to a second straight one-year contract, an illustration of his struggles to stay healthy over the course of his career. A return to the lineup this week or (potentially) in time for the Super Bowl would see Dobbins add to his Broncos production, though, something which could help him boost his market value.
Broncos S Brandon Jones Undergoes Surgery; C Luke Wattenberg In Play To Return
While some injured Broncos are likely to return for the team’s divisional-round Bills matchup, two others will not. Brandon Jones and Luke Wattenberg are on IR. Wattenberg cannot come back until at least the AFC championship game. Jones is eligible to return now, but he is not expected to do so.
The Denver safety starter underwent pectoral surgery, according to 9News’ Mike Klis. Although Klis keeps the door open to a potential Super Bowl LX reemergence for Jones, Sean Payton said later (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson) the sixth-year veteran is unlikely to play again this season.
Jones suffered a pec injury during the Broncos’ Week 15 win over the Packers. Jones sat out the final three regular-season games, and with the Broncos booking the AFC’s bye, he would have been eligible to be activated from IR this week. But that will not happen.
The Broncos have used Jones as a starter since giving him a three-year, $20MM deal in free agency in 2024. The ex-Dolphin has played well in Denver, teaming with 2025 FA pickup Talanoa Hufanga. P.J. Locke, who teamed with Jones as a starter last season, is now working alongside Hufanga — whom the AP named a second-team All-Pro last week.
A better piece of Broncos injury news comes along their offensive line. Wattenberg is in play to return if the No. 1 seed reaches the AFC championship game, Klis adds. Wattenberg suffered a shoulder injury against the Jaguars in Week 16. Because of Denver booking a first-round bye, he would be allowed to return after only missing three games — as opposed to the usual four required with an IR placement.
Wattenberg has been the Broncos’ center starter for the past two seasons; the team gave the Lloyd Cushenberry successor a four-year, $48MM extension during its bye week. The Broncos have turned to 2023 seventh-round pick Alex Forsyth as their Wattenberg fill-in. Forsyth, who snapped to QB Bo Nix at Oregon during the 2022 season, is the only rookie contract along Denver’s O-line — which has veterans Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz and Mike McGlinchey all signed through at least 2026. Wattenberg’s deal runs through 2029.
Payton called J.K. Dobbins “close” to returning, though the veteran running back — who is rehabbing a Lisfranc injury — did not see his practice window opened today. Previously, a Super Bowl appearance was viewed as the requirement for a Dobbins comeback timeline to make sense. Defenders Dre Greenlaw and John Franklin-Myers, however, returned to practice after missing time. Greenlaw, whose first Broncos season has been filled with various maladies, is returning from a hamstring issue. Franklin-Myers, who sits as the Broncos’ highest-profile 2026 free agent after not receiving an extension, is battling a strained hip sustained in Week 17, per Klis. Greenlaw was limited Tuesday, while Franklin-Myers practiced fully.
Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins Aiming For Super Bowl Return
NOVEMBER 26: Sean Payton also did not dismiss a Dobbins return from a Lisfranc injury. Not generally forthcoming on injuries, the veteran HC said (via the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel) a return “has a chance” to take place. The Broncos have five injury activations remaining, not using them on Patrick Surtain or Alex Singleton — who are both on track to return in Week 13 — and would receive two more if/once they make the playoffs.
Dobbins has told some in the building he wants to be back by the time Denver’s playoff docket starts, per Gabriel. Based on previous reporting, that sounds quite optimistic. But the prospect of the injury-prone running back not being shut down does provide some intrigue for the Broncos’ backfield, which is attempting to replace one of this season’s most productive runners.
NOVEMBER 23: J.K. Dobbins‘ latest injury has him unavailable for the foreseeable future. The veteran running back has his eyes set on a Broncos return if their season goes the distance, however.
A Lisfranc injury suffered earlier this month will leave Dobbins sidelined through at least the remainder of the regular season. Surgery has already taken place, and a lengthy recovery process is underway as a result. If all were to go well on that front, Dobbins could find himself available at the tail end of the playoffs.
Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post reports there is a “hope” Dobbins will be able to return in the event the Broncos reach the Super Bowl. That would amount to a recovery timeline of roughly three months, something which would fall well short of how long severe Lisfranc injuries require to heal. Even a less severe version of the injury will require a notable period out of game action.
“If it’s a more subtle injury, it’s potentially something you can rehab more quickly and get back on your feet quicker,” Dr. Nicholas Strasser told Gabriel (while adding he is not involved in Dobbins’ particular case). “It’s not totally unrealistic for February, thinking through the timeline. A lot of things would have to go his way and probably have to have a lot of luck as well.”
Indeed, a Super Bowl appearance representing the best-case scenario in this situation illustrates how unlikely it is to take place. The Broncos are on their bye week, but with a 9-2 record the AFC West leaders are certainly in the mix with respect to contenders for a championship in 2025. The team’s running game will be determined in large part by the play of second-round rookie RJ Harvey, who has recorded 469 yards from scrimmage and scored six total touchdowns this season.
Injuries have been a consistent issue throughout Dobbins’ career. The 26-year-old had been enjoying a strong debut campaign with the Broncos (5.0 yards per carry, four touchdowns) before going down. Dobbins is a pending free agent, and another short-term contract is no doubt in store given the time he will miss down the stretch. At the moment, at least, the door is nevertheless open to him making a final contribution to the Broncos should they parlay their performances to date into a championship run.
Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins Out For Season
9:23pm: Dobbins has already undergone surgery for a Lisfranc injury, CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson reports. His recovery process is underway as a result, but the Broncos will be shorthanded in the backfield the rest of the way.
2:26pm: We knew the Broncos would be without starting running back J.K. Dobbins after he had been ruled out yesterday. We even knew that a stint on injured reserve was in consideration, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Dobbins is dealing with a significant ligament issue in his foot that — per the opinions of several experts — will require season-ending surgery.
He has indeed been placed on IR and will remain there for the rest of the regular season. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that there is still a possibility Dobbins could return after the regular season ends, though it would likely require the team to make it to the Super Bowl. Pelissero details that Dobbins’ injury didn’t include a fracture but just a small tear, and the projected timeline for the recovery of that diagnosis would see him coming back in time for the league’s final game of the season.
Since getting drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, injuries have been a huge part of Dobbins’ NFL story. As a rookie splitting time with Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards, Dobbins led the room with 805 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns while sporting an impressive 6.0 yards per carry. Before his sophomore campaign could get started, he was sidelined for the season with a torn ACL, suffered in the team’s final preseason game.
Returning to the field two weeks into the 2022 season, Dobbins took over as RB1. After only four games back, Dobbins suffered another knee injury and was placed on IR for the second time. He was activated later in the year and delivered four strong performances to finish the season averaging 5.7 yards per carry. In 2023, the worst occurred once again. In Baltimore’s season opener, Dobbins left the game with a torn Achilles tendon, leading to his third IR placement and his second season-ending surgery.
Leaving Baltimore with the expiration of his rookie deal, Dobbins landed with the Chargers, beating out Edwards — who also left Baltimore for LA — for the starting job thanks to a huge Week 1 performance. Dobbins showed some durability for the first time since his rookie year, starting the first 12 games of the season before a matchup with his former team saw him suffer an MCL sprain. He was placed on IR (for the fourth time) for four games but was able to return to close out the season.
Now in Denver, Dobbins has played in all 10 games for the Broncos this year. The foot injury news popped up this week, and the new details today confirm the worst: Dobbins will be placed on IR for the fifth time in six years and will undergo his third season-ending surgery. Once again showing his mettle with a strong season this year, Dobbins had Denver considering an extension before the injury sidelined him. The Broncos will now have to factor his injury history even more into any considerations concerning a new contract.
Luckily for the Broncos, they still roster second-round rookie RJ Harvey. For the most part, throughout his rookie season, Harvey has played a major second fiddle to Dobbins, but he has displayed some strong potential with big plays here and there both on the ground and through the air. He’ll likely take the lead out of the backfield with Dobbins out, but Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin both remain on the roster with him, and McLaughlin boasts an impressive volume of backup experience.
Taking Dobbins’ place on IR will be linebacker Garret Wallow, who is being activated from IR after being designated to return earlier this week. The Broncos are also signing cornerback Reese Taylor from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, waiving wide receiver Trent Sherfield to make room, and veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis and linebacker Jordan Turner will be called up as standard gameday practice squad elevations. This will be Lewis’ third such elevation, so Denver will need to sign him to the active roster if they want him to appear in any games after this week.
Broncos Considering IR For RB J.K. Dobbins
NOVEMBER 14: Dobbins is dealing with a “significant” injury that will sideline him for “the foreseeable future,” per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. He and the Broncos are still evaluating their options, but an IR placement seems more likely in the wake of the most recent news.
NOVEMBER 11: Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins suffered a foot injury in last Thursday’s win over the Raiders that could land him on injured reserve.
Denver is considering placing Dobbins on IR, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette, which would sidelined him for the next four games. The Broncos have a bye in Week 12, so Dobbins’ earliest return would come in Week 16.
Dobbins hurt his foot on a hip drop tackle by a Raiders defender, though the play was not flagged. He left the game with about 4:30 remaining in the third quarter with rookie RJ Harvey handling the remaining carries. Dobbins seems poised to miss some time, even if he does not land on IR, so Harvey could see a major uptick in work after producing a number of explosive plays in recent weeks. Depth running backs Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin should also see a few more opportunities with Dobbins sidelined.
This would be Dobbins’ fifth stint on injured reserve since entering the league as a Ravens second-round pick in 2020. He suffered a torn ACL before his second season, a knee injury the following year, and a torn Achilles at the beginning of the 2023 season. He signed with the Chargers during the 2024 offseason and suffered an MCL sprain in November that sidelined him until late December.
Dobbins has been hit with the ‘injury-prone’ tag since his time in Baltimore, and this latest injury will continue that perception. He expressed interest in an extension with the Broncos, but will likely need to prove he can stay healthy for him to receive a multi-year commitment in Denver or anywhere else.
J.K. Dobbins Eyeing Broncos Extension
J.K. Dobbins‘ extensive injury history has crushed his free agency value in two offseasons. The former Ravens starter has signed two one-year deals since his rookie contract expired; each has been worth less than $2.1MM.
But the injury-prone running back has boosted two AFC West teams’ offensive performances over the past two seasons, posting a career-high 905 rushing yards last season. The then-Chargers starter did so despite missing four games with an MCL sprain. Another knee injury undoubtedly affected his 2025 market, which produced a low-end Chargers offer and eventual Broncos contract worth $2.07MM.
After the Chargers opted to replace Dobbins with Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton, the former second-round pick has impressed on that Denver deal. Through eight games, Dobbins sits behind only Jonathan Taylor and James Cook in rushing. Dobbins has posted 634 yards to start his Broncos run, helping maximize an offensive line that led the league in run block win rate last season — only to see scant rushing success accompany it.
Dobbins has teamed with second-round pick RJ Harvey but has been the season-long starter, residing as such despite not landing in Denver until June. Dobbins’ two 100-yard rushing performances are the Broncos’ only such efforts in the Sean Payton era. Set to turn 27 in December, the Ohio State product can use this season as a springboard to better terms.
Dobbins hopes those next set of terms will come in Denver, and while he said he has not thought about extension value, the sixth-year back confirmed interest (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson) in a second Broncos contract. Should Dobbins stay on his current course, he will be in line to up his rate for 2026. But having missed 47 games due to injury as a pro — largely because of a 2021 ACL tear and 2023 Achilles tear — will still stand to limit his earning potential. This Broncos season could still prove pivotal for what could be a last chance of sorts for the RB to score a notable veteran contract.
Denver has not been shy about doing extensions in-season under GM George Paton. The team reupped both Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick during the 2021 season and paid Jonathon Cooper and Garett Bolles during the 2024 campaign. Dobbins joins linebacker Alex Singleton, center Luke Wattenberg and defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers as regulars unsigned beyond 2025. Considering the Broncos already authorized big-ticket summer deals for Sutton, Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen, this glut of contract-year starters could need to find money elsewhere come 2026. Dobbins could be a special case, though, considering his position and midlevel (at best) value.
The Broncos have not authorized a notable second contract for a running back in a while, having made Javonte Williams and Phillip Lindsay one-contract players. The team did match a C.J. Anderson RFA offer sheet in 2016, though that was under previous ownership and GM John Elway. With Dobbins upping his price this season but carrying substantial injury baggage, it will be interesting to see if the Broncos enter extension talks with their starter soon.
Broncos, RB J.K. Dobbins Were In Contact Since March
The Broncos recently signed running back J.K. Dobbins to a one-year contract worth $2.75MM, with an additional $2.5MM incentive package. Although the two sides just came to terms several days ago, there was mutual interest since free agency opened in March.
Per Luca Evans of the Denver Post, the Broncos made contact with Dobbins’ camp at the outset of free agency and stayed in touch over the next several months. Similarly, Dobbins – who played against defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s unit as a member of the Chargers last year and who lauded his new club’s O-line and quarterback Bo Nix – said joining Denver was a “no-brainer.”
Though he is only 26, Dobbins is now far and away the most seasoned player in Denver’s RB room, which also features second-round rookie R.J. Harvey, 2024 fifth-rounder Audric Estime, and 2023 UDFA Jaleel McLaughlin. The overall underperformance of the club’s running backs in 2024, along with the free agency departure of Javonte Williams, led many to believe the Broncos would target the position on Day 1 of April’s draft.
UNC back Omarion Hampton was frequently mocked to Denver and its No. 20 overall pick. Instead, the Broncos chose a defensive player in Texas corner Jahdae Barron, and while they reportedly would have targeted Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson in a trade-down maneuver from the No. 20 spot, they clearly did not receive an offer tempting enough to relinquish the opportunity to select Barron.
In theory, the club could have moved up from its No. 51 slot to nab Henderson – who eventually went to the Patriots with the No. 38 pick – but Troy Renck of the Denver Post believes the Broncos eschewed that route largely because they knew they had Dobbins “in their back pocket.” Ultimately, Denver traded down twice from their No. 51 position to land Harvey at No. 60 overall.
Dobbins appears to have wanted to sign with Denver all along, and he was merely waiting for them (or, presumably, a different team with a clear RB opening) to hit his price point. Nick Chubb’s one-year, $2.5MM deal with the Texans helped crystallize Dobbins’ market, and he put pen to paper on his Broncos deal shortly after Chubb officially joined his new team.
Dobbins admitted there was some urgency to the deal as a result of the Chargers’ decision to hit him with the UFA tender. If Dobbins had not signed a contract with a different club by July 22, the Bolts would have regained exclusive negotiating rights with him, and he theoretically could have been forced to play out the 2025 campaign on the $1.1MM tender (though Los Angeles did make him what was described as a “pretty decent” offer before he elected to join the Broncos).
While the Chargers added Najee Harris in free agency and selected Hampton in the first round of the 2025 draft (just two picks after Barron came off the board), keeping Dobbins in the fold would not have broken the bank and would have given the team a deep and intriguing collection of RB talent. But from Dobbins’ perspective, Denver clearly presents a better opportunity.
Renck believes Dobbins will be ticketed for a starting role from the jump, as he says Harvey will “ideally” begin sharing early-down snaps with his new teammate by the middle of October. That said, Harvey was not a consensus second-round talent, so if Dobbins can stay healthy – which has been difficult for him since he suffered a torn ACL in a preseason game in 2021, his second year in the league – he could see the lion’s share of carries throughout the 2025 season.
Dobbins missed four games due to a MCL strain in 2024, his first and only season with the Chargers. Still, he tallied 905 yards and nine TDs on a strong 4.6 yards-per-carry average, and his 27 runs of 10+ yards was the 11th-highest total in the league. After playing in just one game the year prior, Dobbins finished second in Comeback Player of the Year voting in 2024 (behind Bengals QB Joe Burrow).
Bolts Offered J.K. Dobbins Deal To Return
It took nearly three months in free agency for J.K. Dobbins to find a home, but he has since committed to relocate from Los Angeles. The Broncos have announced their signing, as the veteran running back is now on a one-year, $2.75MM contract.
Dobbins’ Denver visit last week came as he was technically still tied to the Chargers, who slapped the rarely used UFA tender on their primary 2024 starting running back. That now only pertains to a potential 2026 compensatory pick, as both the teams that used the UFA tender this year (along with the Browns’ Elijah Moore move) have seen the players move on. But Dobbins did loom larger on the Bolts’ radar screen earlier this offseason.
Before the Chargers’ Najee Harris signing, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer indicates the team had extended an offer to Dobbins to stay. Dobbins had outplayed the $1.61MM deal he signed, leapfrogging ex-Ravens teammate Gus Edwards — who was attached to a slightly higher-priced contract (two years, $6.5MM) — to start for an eventual playoff team. He came up as a player the Chargers had designs on keeping, but an extensive medical sheet continued to give teams pause in free agency.
Dobbins rushed for a career-high 905 yards last season, doing so despite missing more time due to injury. Dobbins’ IR stint, due to an MCL sprain, only covered the four-game minimum. This certainly helped him secure a raise from the Broncos, even if significant injury concerns remain due to the former second-rounder’s Baltimore stay.
While Dobbins narrowly edged Nick Chubb‘s $2.5MM Texans contract, it is worth wondering if the 26-year-old RB would have made more had he simply agreed to stay in L.A. The Bolts made a “pretty decent” proposal to re-sign Dobbins, per Breer. Considering they gave Harris $5.25MM in base value, it can reasonably be expected Dobbins passed on an offer worth more than what he will make in Denver. Though, it is not known if his $2.5MM incentive package features reasonable goals.
The Chargers included $4.25MM worth of incentives in Harris’ deal, and Dobbins’ injury past (47 missed games) pointed to the Bolts proposing an incentive-laden contract to him as well. The Chargers also carried considerable familiarity with Dobbins, due to GM Joe Hortiz having been hired from the Ravens (and Jim Harbaugh being rather close to the Baltimore HC). But they soon made a substantial commitment to heading in a different direction by drafting Omarion Hampton in Round 1.
Regularly mocked to the Broncos at No. 20, Hampton instead slipped down two spots and becomes the Bolts’ long-term option. He and Harris represent safer bets compared to what the Broncos have assembled, investment-wise at least, as the 2021 first-rounder has missed zero games in Pittsburgh while Hampton checked in as the clear second-best RB prospect in this year’s class. The Chargers have not been shy about first-round RB investments this century, having chosen three (LaDainian Tomlinson, Ryan Mathews, Melvin Gordon), and a team that has become more run-centric will turn to Hampton alongside Harris this season.
Denver will bet on Dobbins helping keep second-round pick R.J. Harvey — a player not viewed as a consensus second-round talent — fresh, as Sean Payton has enjoyed success with this type of committee in New Orleans. But the Broncos will need to factor Dobbins’ knee trouble into their roster calculous this summer.