When it comes to the 2025 NFL calendar year, few teams’ futures are as up in the air as the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sure, they did just pull off a massive deal for DK Metcalf, who signed an equally massive extension that makes him among the highest-paid players in the NFL, but who will be throwing him the ball this fall? Will it be recently re-signed draftee Mason Rudolph? A free agent like Aaron Rodgers? A rookie like Jaxson Dart?
And furthermore, who will be providing that eventual passing game support on the ground? Will the Steelers stick with the players they already have under contract, headlined by Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell? Or will they look to fully replace Najee Harris with a bell cow-caliber performer?
Well, in a recent story for Bleacher Report, Moe Moton suggested the Steelers could be a suitor for JK Dobbins, who had a fantastic season for the Chargers last season, even if he once again missed time with an injury.
“On a one-year, $1.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers last year, J.K. Dobbins proved he could handle the lion’s share of a team’s rushing workload, recording 195 carries for a career-high 905 yards and nine touchdowns. The 26-year-old missed four games because of a knee injury, but he suited up for more outings last season than he did between 2021 and 2023 (nine contests),” Moton wrote.
“Dobbins has yet to play through an entire season. He missed one game during his 2020 rookie year while on the COVID-19 list. That said, his mostly healthy and productive 2024 campaign should help him garner suitors. In 37 games, he has averaged 5.2 yards per carry. He has the efficiency to take on a featured role, though teams should pair him with a running back who can make big plays in the short passing game. The sixth-year veteran has 59 receptions for 330 yards and a touchdown. Still in his mid-20s, Dobbins could perform optimally for the next few years if he stays healthy.”
Now granted, would it be fun to see Dobbins and Harris do the switcharoo this fall? Sure, one could argue the former was actually more productive than the latter last season, and if he remained healthy, he’d already be signed to a new contract. Factor in his college run at Ohio State, which wasn’t too far away from the Steel City, and the idea of Dobbins returning to the region for another run should inspire excitement from around the fanbase, especially considering his likely low cap hit at this stage of free agency.
Should the Steelers eventually settle on a new long-term core instead of sticking to a bunch of one-year players like Russell Wilson and Justin Fields last season? Sure, one would hope so, but when a good deal comes along, Pittsburgh would be silly to pass it up, especially when Dobbins could still have plenty of great years ahead of him.