Los Angeles now has a monopoly on NFL players named JK.
Already with punter JK Scott on the roster, the Chargers reportedly signed running back JK Dobbins on Wednesday, adding another piece to a running back room that has been nearly completely made over this offseason. Dobbins will reportedly sign a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
He joins fellow former Raven Gus Edwards, reuniting with his Baltimore teammate under new Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who was the offensive coordinator for the Ravens during his rookie season in 2020.
Dobbins has been an explosive player when healthy, averaging 5.8 yards a carry in his career, highlighted by an 800 yard season as a rookie under Roman. But injuries have severely limited him since then: he tore his ACL and LCL and damaged his meniscus in 2021, knocking him out of the entire season, and tore his Achilles in Week 1 this season. In total, he’s played in just nine games in the last three seasons.
Because of this, despite the timing of the signing, it’s much more likely that Dobbins is coming in to compete for a roster spot than the starting job. It likely won’t prevent the Chargers from adding a running back in next week’s draft, whether that’s Michigan’s Blake Corum, USC’s MarShawn Lloyd, or another player in the middle or later rounds.
But, with both JKs now in powder blue, maybe actor JK Simmons will become a Chargers fan.