Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former Chargers Star RB Signs With AFC West Rival in Free Agency

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 9:01 AM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers took a one-year flyer on running back J.K. Dobbins last season and it largely paid dividends.

He recorded his career high in rushing yards and remained healthy for a large part of the year which has been the main criticism of his career thus far.

With his surprising breakout, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would be back with the team in 2025, but it turns out that isn’t the case.

Early on in the free agency process, the Chargers pivoted to former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris and it became clear that Dobbins wouldn’t be back.

After a few months of radio silence about his potential landing spots, the Denver Broncos put on a hot pursuit of Dobbins in recent days.

They had a meeting with him over the weekend and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Tuesday afternoon that the two sides had agreed on a one-year deal.

The newest member of the #Broncos — JK Dobbins. pic.twitter.com/8ojcxFNHK3
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 10, 2025

The compensation has not yet been revealed, but judging by how long the former first-round pick was sitting on the open market, it likely wasn’t too pricey.

If that is the case, then this signing wraps up one of the most successful free agency periods in team history for the Broncos.

They added some of the top defensive free agents to a unit that was already elite for Denver last season along with multiple upgrades on the offensive side of the ball.

For a team that shattered expectations last season, they are showing that they are serious about continuing to improve and reaching contender status.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: