The Las Vegas Raiders have been extremely active this offseason, moving on from head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco and replacing them with Pete Carroll and John Spytek, respectively.
Las Vegas also made changes to their roster, signing key free agents like guard Alex Cappa, safety Jeremy Chinn, safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. and linebacker Elandon Roberts. However, their biggest move thus far came in a trade when they acquired quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks for a third-round pick in this year’s NFL draft.
While Smith should bring some stability to the Raiders’ offense, they should be looking for more weapons on that side of the ball in free agency. Recently, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox identified Carroll’s team as one of the best landing spots for free agent running back J.K. Dobbins.
Dobbins, 26, played collegiately at Ohio State from 2017-19, earning All-Big Ten honors all three seasons and All-American honors in his final year with the Buckeyes.
The Baltimore Ravens took Dobbins in the second round (55th overall) of the 2020 NFL draft, allowing him to split time in a backfield with Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards.
Dobbins’ four seasons in Baltimore were plagued by injury, as he missed the entire 2021 season and part of 2022 with a torn ACL. He then suffered a torn Achilles in 2023, limiting him to just one game. In total, he appeared in just 24 games over four years.
The Los Angeles Chargers signed Dobbins to a one-year deal last offseason, and while he dealt with an MCL injury that cost him time, he finished the year rushing for 905 yards and nine touchdowns on 4.6 yards per carry.
Pro Football Focus gave Dobbins a 66.8 overall grade in 2024, ranking him 35th among 47 qualified NFL running backs. He also received a 66.7 rushing grade (39th) and a 55.6 receiving grade (34th).
Las Vegas let Josh Jacobs leave in free agency last offseason, replacing him with Alexander Mattison. However, it ended up being the wrong choice, as Jacobs rushed for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns in a Pro Bowl year with the Green Bay Packers, and Mattison totaled just 420 yards and four scores for the Raiders.
Dobbins, while injury-prone, has the ability to be one of the best running backs in the league. Las Vegas should consider bringing him in on a short-term deal along with a rookie or another inexpensive veteran for insurance.
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