After lacking J.K. Dobbins for the previous 4 video games, the Chargers will give their beginning working again a possibility to supply a powerful ending to his first season in Los Angeles.
The Bolts are designating Dobbins for return, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper tweets. An MCL sprain halted Dobbins’ bounce-back season, providing a reminder of his points staying wholesome in Baltimore. However the former second-round decide had offered good worth for a Chargers workforce that signed him on a low-end contract following a misplaced 2023 season.
Dobbins amassed 766 dashing yards this season (4.8 per carry), scoring eight touchdowns in his return from a September 2023 Achilles tear. The previous Ravens starter additionally missed the entire 2021 season and far of the 2022 marketing campaign as a consequence of an ACL tear. The Bolts had been utilizing their different Baltimore import, Gus Edwards, in Dobbins’ place. Edwards figures to nonetheless be concerned, however a return to a complementary position seems seemingly quickly.
Though the Chargers are down to just two injury activations, the offseason rule change giving playoff groups two extra to make use of through the postseason retains the workforce on regular floor. Edwards had returned off IR beforehand, however he has not offered the Chargers the spark his longtime teammate has this season. The upper-paid again is averaging simply 3.6 yards per tote. Dobbins’ harm previous nonetheless figures to maintain Edwards concerned, nonetheless.
Dobbins’ run of harm bother led to an April signing, because the Bolts gave the Ohio State product a one-year deal price simply $1.61M. Dobbins, 26, can in all probability do higher on the 2025 market — particularly after would-be free brokers James Conner, Chuba Hubbard and Rhamondre Stevenson all signed extensions. The present Chargers starter might want to keep wholesome, nonetheless, and his harm previous will undoubtedly nonetheless issue into his market. However a bump from that $1.61M quantity seems seemingly.
Dobbins has introduced high quality worth for the Chargers in Greg Roman‘s debut. Because the fifth-year again prepares an effort to spice up his market, he may also help a Chargers workforce safe playoff positioning. The Bolts are 9-6 and will rise as excessive because the No. 5 seed relying on outcomes over the season’s closing two weeks.
