Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that J.K. Dobbins was a priority for them, ahead of all other options that could have been available on the free agency market. The film showcases why.
Film Room: Denver Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins explosive moments in 2025
Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins was the motor of the run game last season. After his injury in Week 10, the run game production dropped off significantly.
Last season, Dobbins had 21 rushing plays of 10+ yards as the primary back for the Broncos offense. Let’s look at why the Broncos brought him back, especially if he can remain healthy.
Against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Broncos offense on this play have eight players in or near the box, which highlights an effort to stop the run game. On this play, Denver motions Nate Adkins across the formation, where he’ll be a kickout player for the edge defender. They also pull left guard Ben Powers, who will climb his way up to the playside linebacker, allowing Dobbins to squeeze his way between him and Adam Trautman, who blocks Daiyan Henley for a big gain.
Against the Titans in Week 1, Dobbins and the Broncos are backed up on their own five-yard line and face a front that has nine players in or around the box to counter Denver’s jumbo package. Denver pulls Quinn Meinerz from right to left, while Adam Prentice kicks out the playside outside linebacker.
Adam Trautman and Alex Palczewski combo block 6-technique, while Garett Bolles and Ben Powers double team the three-technique. Dobbins patiently follows Meinerz and gets skinny off his block to burst through the line of scrimmage for a big gain.
In Denver’s Week 5 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Broncos half motion Nate Adkins to the right side of the formation and bring him back underneath at the snap to block the backside edge defender, while Bolles and Powers double the three-technique, while Powers works his way up to the linebacker.
Wattenberg and Meinerz combo block the 2i, allowing Quinn to work his way up to the playside linebacker, leaving McGlinchey one-on-one with the edge rusher. Bolles and Powers do a great job of angling their blocks, opening up the hole for Dobbins to burst through for a big gain.
Raiders Week 10, the game, Dobbins unfortunately got injured in on a hip drop tackle, the Broncos come out in the pistol with Evan Engram and Adam Trautman as back/blocking options to his left and right, and J.K. in the backfield.
The Raiders load the box with seven players, crashing Maxx Crosby inside, while bringing Jamal Adams on a stunt off the edge. McGlinchey picks up Adams, while Meinerz picks up Crosby on the inside, Wattenberg steps down to pick up the three-technique that also takes an inside step. Palczewski steps down to crash down the 2i, while Bolles works his way up to the playside linebacker, leaving Engram to block the outside edge defender.
Dobbins attacks downhill and bounces it to the right side, taking advantage of the Raiders blitz off the edge and freeing up space for a big gain.
Let’s jump to Week 4 on Monday Night against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Broncos come out under center and motion Marvin Mims across the formation. Bo Nix sells the handoff to Mims and flips it out to Dobbins on a toss play. The entire offensive line downblocks to the playside, while Courtland Sutton and Nate Adkins work to block and seal up to the second level, throwing two defenders out of the club, while Garett Bolles climbs upfield and seals the playside linebacker.
Dobbins takes the opening on the outside for a big gain.
Nate Adkins works his way back under the formation to help with the backside edge, who is being engaged by Pat Bryant. Because Bryant does a great job of taking away that defender, he climbs to the second level to find work.
Dobbins takes the handoff wide and cuts back inside, seeing the hole, and rattles off a big gain.
Against the Colts in Week 2, the Broncos come out in 12-personnel against nine players who are in or near the box. The right side of the Broncos line down (your left) blocks, while Ben Powers pulls from left to right, leaving Luke Wattenberg to step down to help Garett Bolles block the 5-technique. Adam Prentice blocks the defensive back and kicks him out, allowing Dobbins to hit the hole between him and Powers, who climbs to the playside linebacker and opens up the hole for him to pick up a first down.
Against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, the Broncos come out under center in 11-personnel and face a box that has eight players in or near it.
Denver’s offensive line does a great job of blocking this to spring Dobbins free, with Trent Sherfield and Pat Bryant blocking the corner and nickel, while Garett Bolles and Adam Trautman combo block the 6i to allow Garett to work up to the linebacker, while Alex Palczewski and Luke Wattenberg combo block the 2i, allowing Wattenberg to work his way up to the other linebacker, leaving Quinn Meinerz and Mike McGlinchey with one-on-one blocks on the right side.
Dobbins sees the inside hole close up quickly, and he sees Sherfield’s block on the defensive back, bouncing it to the outside for a big gain.
Our final play of this breakdown shows Dobbins against the New York Giants in Week 7. The Broncos come out in 22-personnel (two backs, two tight ends) against seven players in or near the box.
Courtland Sutton has a crack block against No. 51, while Prentice attacks the cornerback. The entire offensive line is essentially down blocking at an angle, with Bolles climbing past Sutton to work his way to the second level, as are Quinn Meinerz and Alex Palczewski. Dobbins hits the inside hole of Adam Prentice’s kickout block and then reads his blocks and the pursuit of the defense, cutting back inside for a larger gain.
It’s not a secret that the Broncos’ run game was better when Dobbins was healthy, and that’s why he’s back this upcoming season.