Sean Payton and J.K. Dobbins could be a perfect fit on the gridiron.
Payton has proven to still be one of the smartest offensive minds in football, and Dobbins is a multi-dimensional back.
But Denver’s head coach is seemingly downplaying what Dobbins could bring to the team.
Sean Payton on J.K. Dobbins: Good balance and instincts
Payton could be over the moon on his new free agent running back, but he’s keeping his cards close to the chest.
“He is another good football player,” Denver’s Sean Payton, on J.K. Dobbins last week. “I think he has good running balance and instincts.”
The 26-year old back definitely has that. And he used his great balance and instincts to run for career-highs in yards (905) and touchdowns (9) last year with the Los Angeles Chargers.
He started the 2024 season off with back-to-back 130-yard performances in wins over the Raiders and Panthers. Dobbins scored in each of those games, too. He also put up a strong performance against the Broncos at Mile High Stadium, rushing for 96 yards and a score in October.
“This defense was amazing,” he said of his new teammates in that game. “When we were playing against them, we know it was going to be tough all game long.”
Last year, the Broncos lacked an explosive running back. In fact, they only had 10 explosive runs of 20-plus yards, and six of them were by quarterback Bo Nix.
There’s hope that Dobbins, who had six explosive runs last year, can bring that big-play ability to Denver.
“The good runners, they add a little spaghetti sauce to the recipe that’s important,” explained Sean Payton on J.K. Dobbins’ abilities.
Beyond bringing the gash plays, he’s a beast in short-yardage situations. Last year he averaged a stellar 7.0 yards per carry on downs with 1-3 yards to go. He also racked up 27 first downs as well as 5 scores when the Chargers were near the goal line.
Which running back will start this fall for the Broncos?
Payton stopped short of saying Dobbins will be the starting running back for the Broncos in 2025. Notably, the team drafted running back R.J. Harvey out of the University of Central Florida in the second round.
Six weeks later, they hosted and then signed Dobbins to the same position.
“We’ll see how it unfolds,” Payton said of the running back competition. “There are no set roles yet. We feel like we know who [Dobbins] is well.”
So, where does Dobbins see himself in the battle with Harvey?
“He’s going to be really good,” Dobbins said of the rookie. “I see a special player in him. He’s going to help me out, and I’m going to help him out.”
In all likelihood, Payton will play both of them.
Dobbins shared the load with Gus Edwards last year, who carried the ball 101 times. Keep in mind that Dobbins also missed four weeks due to an MCL sprain, giving Edwards some extra opportunities.
Also of note, the Broncos had three backs with 75-plus carries last year. They were the departed Javonte Williams (139), Jaleel McLaughlin (113), and Audric Estime (76).
Estime and McLaughlin are still on the roster, too. It seems likely they’ll get some touches, but obviously after Dobbins and Harvey get theirs.
In terms of fantasy football, some are saying the Dobbins signing could be a positive for owners looking to draft Harvey.
Some have already compared the makeup of the Broncos backfield to the Lions’ pairing of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The Broncos would kill for that kind of production. Those two combined for nearly 2,200 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground last year.
When the team gets back together in about six week’s time, and as they hit the ground running the preseason, we’ll get a better grasp on who will get more carries this year.
The odds-on favorite is Dobbins, but Denver will have to see what Harvey can give them, too.