There is a lot of intrigue surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders with a new coaching staff, especially when you consider the names associated with the team.
At head coach is Pete Carroll, their offensive coordinator is Chip Kelly, returning to the NFL after just under a decade away, and they are being run in some capacity by part-time owner and future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady. With free agency just days away, the Raiders are predicted to land a veteran RB to help shore up their backfield.
Raiders Sign J.K. Dobbins in Latest Free Agency Prediction
Dobbins had an injury-filled start to his career with the Ravens, but he had a decent year last season with the Chargers. Now, the Raiders are a possible destination for him this offseason, per a free agency prediction article from PFSN. Here is the write-up associated with the signing:
“The Las Vegas Raiders had the worst rushing offense in 2024. Their 3.6 yards per attempt ranked last, and their -0.27 EPA per rush on running back carries was the worst by any team since at least 2000.
Snatching J.K. Dobbins from the division rival Chargers could be the first step toward rectifying that. There’s certainly some risk to Dobbins’ profile. He had a 36.4% rushing success rate, which ranked 32nd out of 50 players with 100+ rush attempts. Additionally, he missed four games with a sprained MCL and has played just 22 of a possible 51 games in the last three years.
In space, Dobbins looked electric at times, but his -8.7% boom/bust rate ranked 41st among 73 qualifying backs (minimum 50 touches). He ranked 16th in average yards before contact per rush but was down at 31st in yards after contact.”
Signing Dobbins wouldn’t be the only move the Raiders need to make to truly fix their RB issues from last season, but it would be a good start.
He started the year on fire, rushing for 130+ yards in each of the Chargers’ first two games. However, those were also the only two games all season in which he topped 100 yards.
He did miss about a month with a knee injury, but playing 13 games in 2024 was a step in the right direction after appearing in just nine total games from 2021-2023.
Pairing Dobbins with a rookie in the draft seems like a smart move for the Raiders, especially in a draft that is supposed to be loaded with running back talent.