J.K. Dobbins Receives Unrestricted Free-Agent Contract Tender from Chargers

Running back J.K Dobbins returning to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025 may still be on the table.

According to Daniel Popper of The Athletic, the Chargers placed the seldom-used unrestricted free agent tender on Dobbins on Tuesday:

While the tender does not prevent Dobbins from signing with another team, doing so will count toward the compensatory draft pick formula for the Chargers and the team that signs him if it happens.

However, if Dobbins is not signed by the start of training camp, the Chargers will have exclusive negotiating rights. Per Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper, signing the tender with the Chargers would net Dobbins a one-year, $3.428 million deal.

Dobbins had a standout collegiate career at Ohio State, which led to immense hype heading into the NFL. The Baltimore Ravens selected him in the second round of the 2020 draft and he had a strong start to his career, rushing for 805 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie.

From there, injuries began taking a toll on him.

He suffered a torn ACL in the Ravens' final preseason game ahead of the 2021 season, ending his year before it even began. In 2022, he dealt with more injuries and played just eight games, rushing for 520 yards and a pair of touchdowns and adding 42 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air.

In 2023, Dobbins suffered a torn Achilles in the first game of the year, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.

After his injury-filled stint with the Ravens, he joined the Chargers on a one-year, $1 million deal as he looked to salvage his career. He did just that in Los Angeles.

In the Chargers' season-opener against the Las Vegas Raiders, Dobbins rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown. He was just as productive in Week 2, picking up 131 rushing yards and a touchdown.

While Dobbins was mostly healthy in 2024, he spent four games on the injured reserve due to a sprained MCL. Still, he finished the year with a career-high 905 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, adding 153 yards through the air.

Dobbins found new life with the Chargers and helped them make the postseason in Jim Harbaugh's first year at the helm.

While Dobbins knows the Chargers' offensive system and has shown he can produce within it, there will be a ton of competition for touches in the backfield if he re-signs with the team.

In addition to signing former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris to a one-year, 5.25 million contract in free agency, the Chargers selected dynamic North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft.

Because of that, it may behoove Dobbins to sign elsewhere, but if there isn't significant interest from another team, the UFA tender at least provides him with a solid fallback option in L.A.