You never want to see your team overreact to a down year, but it became clear last season that the Houston Texans needed to make some changes on the offensive side of the ball, and they have done exactly that in the offseason so far. But one position that has largely gone overlooked has been running back.
Joe Mixon is obviously still a strong option as the RB1, but it's clear that Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale can't be the only options behind him on the depth chart, and fourth-round rookie Woody Marks is still a total unknown. That makes the latest rumor about the Texans' pursuit of J.K. Dobbins so exciting.
Texans Rumored to Be Pursuing Free Agent RB J.K. Dobbins
According to @SlickRickScoops on Twitter, the Texans have inquired about signing free agent running back J.K. Dobbins. He does add that "there's still distance between the two sides on money," but considering the size of running back contracts, it's hard to imagine that would be enough to tank a potential deal.
After injuries looked like they had completely sunk his career and solidified him as a draft bust, Dobbins turned his career around in 2024. He rushed for a career-high 905 yards with 9 touchdowns across 13 games, proving those early-career injury woes haven't sapped his explosive playmaking ability.
But before Texans fans get too excited about the fit, how much weight should we give this rumor in the first place?
Is the Texans-Dobbins Rumor Realistic?
This isn't exactly an A-plus insider source for NFL news that is leaking the information. A scroll through his timeline shows plenty of correct calls, but there's a big difference between predicting things that happen and actually having inside information. The rumor, including a major hedge like there still being distance but being "something to monitor," is also a red flag — wording like that makes it easy to claim this post was right no matter what. If he signs, you can say, "see, I got it right," but if he doesn't, you can fall back on "I said there was distance." But that also doesn't mean that there isn't anything to it.
It makes sense, for example, that money would be a sticking point for Dobbins. It makes sense that he'd be looking to cash in after having his best career season and having made only $1.6 million last year. It also makes sense that NFL teams would have no interest in paying any significant money to a running back who has only played in 37 games across five seasons since being drafted.
Further, Dobbins is an obvious fit in the Texans' offense. The lack of depth in the RB reared its ugly head last year, culminating with Cam Akers starting two games and plodding for 147 yards on 40 carries.
Dobbins' Fit in Texans Offense
Durability is going to remain a question mark for Dobbins for a long time, so the most natural fit for him is as a part-time complement to a workhorse. And Joe Mixon's versatility as an every-down threat means that the best RB2 option behind him is a similarly complete player who has explosive big-play ability.
Dobbins' receiving ability isn't his strength, but it's good enough to give him the flexibility to play on any down. He led the Chargers' backfield with 32 receptions last year, and PFF graded him out well (72.6) as a pass blocker. That's well ahead of Mixon's 52.9 pass-block grade.
Dameon Pierce is likely on his way out of Houston, and even though Marks has a lot of upside, it's hard to feel good about entering the season with a fourth-round rookie as your RB2. Adding Dobbins on a short-term deal would beef up the offense for 2025 while giving Marks some time to develop.