JK Dobbins Rumors: Texans locked in tug of war with NFL RB as contract talks hit standstill

JK Dobbins had a surprise resurgence in the 2024 season, establishing himself as the Los Angeles Chargers' lead rusher and tallying more than 1,000 scrimmage yards. But since then, he has been shockingly left unsigned, and the latest development will not inspire confidence among his fans.

On Wednesday, X user Slick Rick Scoops claimed on X that the Houston Texans had reached out to the veteran running back with the intent of signing him alongside Joe Mixon, only for negotiations to stall over money.

For the past few weeks, Dobbins has also been heavily linked to the Chicago Bears. Chi City Sports’ Stevie Pusch opined that he could offer versatility not currently seen in D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson — and unlikely to be seen in seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai:

"With (new coach Ben) Johnson’s desire for Chicago’s offense to be run-dominant, adding Dobbins could be imperative. (His) ability to handle inside and outside carries would be an ideal fit for Johnson’s rushing offense, as the scheme relies on running backs with universal ball-carrying traits."

He continued:

"Dobbins’ presence would make play-action pass plays for Williams that much harder to defend against due to potentially biting on the handoff... Although (he) can also catch the ball, having the versatility with running backs makes the offense much more unpredictable than having one true featured back and other ball-carriers specializing in unique roles."

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JK Dobbins linked to two more NFC teams

Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton sees JK Dobbins as a strong fit alongside Alvin Kamara with the New Orleans Saints under new head coach Kellen Moore — a duo that could see heavy usage given the inexperience of the quarterback room, which includes Jake Haener, sophomore Spencer Rattler and second-round rookie Tyler Shough, following Derek Carr’s retirement.

"If so, Dobbins can carve out a significant role over inconsistent third-year tailback Kendre Miller on early downs," Moton wrote.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Matt Bowen predicts Dobbins could join the Washington Commanders and compete with incumbent Brian Robinson Jr. for early-down snaps.

"Dobbins can run between the tackles and has the juice to create big plays on the ground," Bowen wrote.

Over his career, JK Dobbins has recorded 2,252 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns across five seasons.