Rival Named as Possible Suitor for Chargers' J.K. Dobbins This Offseason

The Los Angeles Chargers took a huge step forward in Jim Harbaugh's first year as a head coach. Taking major strides, especially on the defensive side of the ball, the Chargers more than doubled their win total from a season ago and made the postseason after a one-year hiatus.

While the defensive improvement rightfully earned a ton of praise, the Chargers were also a much better offensive team than a year ago. Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman built a run-heavy scheme that saw the Bolts move up from 21st to 11th in scoring.

One of the biggest factors in this jump was talented running back J.K. Dobbins. The injury-prone rusher was brought to Los Angeles on a one-year, "prove-it" deal in the offseason. Even though a knee injury still forced him to miss four games, Dobbins had the most productive season of his career since his rookie campaign.

Dobbins ran for 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Thanks to the bounce-back season, Dobbins will likely have suitors in free agency this offseason. In fact, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox identified the Denver Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers as potential landing spots for Dobbins.

"If he departs L.A., the rival Denver Broncos could be a fit. They desperately need to pair quarterback Bo Nix with a consistent ground game. The Pittsburgh Steelers should also be interested. Pittsburgh utilizes a run-heavy offense under coordinator Arthur Smith and could part with Najee Harris in free agency."

- Kristopher Knox, Bleacher Report

Harbaugh and Roman will presumably want to keep Dobbins around. They clearly believe in him and would want to have some offensive continuity after a successful season.

Whether the Chargers will be able to retain Dobbins will depend on the price. While Dobbins is still only 26 years old, he comes with serious injury concerns. If another team is willing to break the bank and give him a lucrative, long-term contract with a guaranteed salary, the Chargers may not have a choice but to let Dobbins walk. Whether that will be a possibility for the former Ohio State star remains to be seen.

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