Jaguars Missed Opportunity to Sign 25-Touchdown Running Back in Free Agency

The Jacksonville Jaguars are gearing up for a revamped backfield in the upcoming 2026 season. Following the departure of Travis Etienne, who signed a four-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, the Jaguars have made moves to fill the void. They recently added Chris Rodriguez Jr. on a two-year deal, alongside Bhayshul Tuten, who is expected to take on the primary running back role.

While the acquisition of Rodriguez could prove beneficial, general manager James Gladstone had been eyeing another free-agent running back, J.K. Dobbins. According to Luca Evans from The Denver Post, Dobbins was on the verge of joining the Jaguars, with an agreement nearly finalized before the Denver Broncos stepped in.

In a surprising turn of events, the Broncos secured Dobbins with a two-year contract valued at up to $20 million, which includes $8 million guaranteed. Evans reported that although Dobbins had a potential deal lined up with Jacksonville, Denver moved quickly to finalize their agreement with the 27-year-old back.

Dobbins, who has faced injury challenges throughout his career, was having a productive season before suffering a foot injury that sidelined him in November 2025. He recorded 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns, averaging an impressive five yards per carry. When healthy, Dobbins has consistently demonstrated his effectiveness, never averaging below 4.6 yards per carry in seasons where he played at least ten games.

For the Jaguars, Dobbins would have provided a physical presence to complement their dynamic passing game. Instead, the veteran will continue his career in Denver, leaving Jacksonville to explore other options in the backfield.