The Chicago Bears had the opportunity to sign a talented running back to improve their offense heading into the first season under new head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears' hope of signing J.K. Dobbins ended on Tuesday as the former Chargers running back will sign a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos.
After three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens to start his career, Dobbins was impressive in his one season with the Chargers. Dobbins led the Chargers in rushing with 905 yards and nine touchdowns.
The Broncos will thrive with Dobbins on offense
The Broncos and the Bears are similar in that both teams have young offenses with a bright future. With the signing of Dobbins, the Broncos have put the league on notice that they are going all-in for next season.
Second-year quarterback Bo Nix will have another weapon on offense that he can rely on as the Broncos are looking to build off a successful run to the playoffs that ended with a 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round.
Why the Bears will regret not signing Dobbins
The addition of Dobbins in Chicago could've given the Bears offense a spark and taken some pressure off first-year head coach Ben Johnson by giving him a talented running back. Not only would it take some weight off the shoulders of quarterback Caleb Williams as well. After a rookie season that featured a fair share of ups and downs for Williams, he is under a lot of pressure to improve and lead the Bears to the playoffs next season.
The one position group on the Bears offense where depth is lacking is at running back. D'Andre Swift, the Bears first option, rushed for 959 yards and six touchdowns in 2024. The addition of Dobbins would've given the Bears two running backs that they could rely on offense.
As offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, Johnson worked with one of the best running back duos in the NFL with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Johnson could've brought the same offensive style to Chicago with the running back duo of JK Dobbins and D'Andre Swift.