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Sep 29, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a Washington Commanders helmet at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Commanders tied to potential RB upgrade ahead of training camp

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated May 19, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Washington Commanders are moving towards training camp later this summer with OTAs and mandatory minicamp on the horizon. Following a breakout season where the franchise made a run to the NFC Championship, the Commanders are looking for even bigger heights in 2025 behind head coach Dan Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Throughout the offseason, Washington has prioritized upgrading its offense. The team traded for left tackle Laremy Tunsil (Houston Texans) and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (San Francisco 49ers) along with drafting former Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round. Along with various other moves in free agency and the draft, the Commanders convinced ex-Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup to come out of retirement.

At tight end, the front office retained veteran Zach Ertz with the hope Ben Sinnott will continue to grow.

One area on offense that the Commanders haven't really upgraded is the offensive backfield. Washington did take Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round and re-signed Jeremy McNichols in free agency. The team also has Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson Jr. under contract through the upcoming season.

Robinson Jr. and Ekeler handled the majority of the load on the ground last year, along with the legs of Daniels. However, the pair missed a combined seven games. Robinson Jr. dealt with hamstring and ankle injuries. Ekeler suffered two concussions, forcing him onto injured reserve.

With some cap space still in hand, it wouldn't be a surprise if Washington explored a veteran addition to the running back room.

On Monday, the Commanders were linked to former Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins. ESPN's Matt Bowen listed Washington as the best fit for the 26-year-old.

"Finding an ideal fit for a veteran running back isn't easy at this point in the offseason, especially for a player with Dobbins' rich injury history," Bowen wrote. "He missed four games with an MCL sprain last season, yet he still managed a career high in rushing yards (905) and tied a career high in rushing touchdowns (9)."

"In Kliff Kingsbury's offense in Washington, I could see Dobbins providing competition for Brian Robinson Jr. as the early-down runner," Bowen added. "Dobbins can run between the tackles and has the juice to create big plays on the ground. He took 27 carries for 10 or more yards last season."

Dobbins had a career year with the Chargers last season after missing nearly the entirety of 2023 due to a torn Achilles. He rushed 195 times for 905 yards and nine touchdowns while catching 32 passes for 153 yards. Dobbins had back-to-back 100+ yard games to begin the season.

With that being said, he did miss four games due to a sprained MCL. As previously mentioned, Dobbins suffered a serious leg injury in 2023 and also tore his ACL in 2021. Coincidentally, the ACL injury occurred in a preseason game against Washington.

Dobbins was originally selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. During his five years at the professional level, he's appeared in 37 games and made 21 starts. Dobbin has rushed 429 times for 2,252 yards with 21 touchdowns along with 59 catches for 330 yards and another score.

Washington is projected to have $23.2 million in available cap space. Last year, Dobbins played on a $1.6 million deal with the Chargers.