With the 2025 NFL Draft behind them, teams will now look back to the free agency pool for players to fill out positions they didn’t address in the draft. The Los Angeles Rams will surely be among those looking for the best fits to shore up the roster before camps begin.
The 33rd Team’s Ian Valentino had an interesting fit for the Rams among those left on the open market. Rather than point to a cornerback, offensive linemen or receiver for L.A., Valentino wrote that the Rams would be a perfect place for ex-Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins to land.
“The top running back free agent available is still JK Dobbins,” Valentino wrote. “Coming off an excellent season for the rival Chargers, the 26-year-old brings better efficiency and explosiveness than anyone else on the market. The Rams already have Kyren Williams, but pairing him with Dobbins would create a better complementary duo than what they had with Williams and Blake Corum in 2024.
“Dobbins’ advanced numbers reveal someone who hits home runs and creates more than your average back. He ranked 13th in rushes of at least 10 yards despite having fewer carries than any back in the top 18 of the metric. PFF’s breakaway metric has Dobbins as seventh amongst backs with at least 110 carries.
“His injury history, which includes an Achilles and ACL tear, is significant. However, the Rams can mitigate his exposure by keeping his total workload around 200 carries alongside a talented Williams and Corum.”
Dobbins had his best year as an NFL running back for the Chargers with 905 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. While Dobbins might be an upgrade over Corum, but he would join a crowded running back room that just added fourth-rounder Jarquez Hunter in the draft. However, if the Rams were to move on from Williams ahead of the 2025 season for contractual issues, Dobbins could slide right in to form a three-back committee in L.A.
At the very least, he would certainly provide a level of excitement on a short-term team that Corum or Hunter don’t yet possess.