With only a week left before the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns still have glaring holes they need to fill. Even though they have ten picks (four in the top-100) to address their needs, a 3-14 team will not be able to fix all of their issues through the draft. In addition to nailing their draft picks, the Browns also need to take big swings on a few remaining free agents.
On top of that list is standout running back JK Dobbins. Considering Cleveland's clear need for an elite RB and Dobbins being the highest-upside rusher available, the fit is obvious.
JK Dobbins is the Perfect High-Risk, High-Reward Gamble for the Browns
Dobbins is coming off an impressive bounce-back season with the Chargers. In his first season under Jim Harbaugh, the former Baltimore Raven came in second in NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting after going for 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games. He added 32 catches for 153 yards in the passing game to reach career-best 1,058 total yards from scrimmage for the season.
The only reason Dobbins is still unsigned is the injury risk. After bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 2020, averaging a whopping 6 yards per carry, Dobbins' career has been derailed by multiple serious injuries, including a torn ACL and a torn Achilles tendon. After his rookie season, he had only played in nine games in three seasons until 2024.
Yet, this is the type of high-risk, high-reward swing the Browns need to make to take the next step. There is certainly a chance that signing Dobbins could backfire, and he would miss a ton of games next season. If he were to stay healthy, however, Dobbins offers an upside that no playmaker on the current Browns roster can match. That should be worth a gamble by GM Andrew Berry.