Kellen Moore has shown a propensity to run the football. Most notably, Saquon Barkley racked up 2000 yards on the ground during he and Moore's one-year marriage with the Philadelphia Eagles. Moore has preached versatility and flexibility from a play caller's standpoint all offseason, but it'll be interesting if the New Orleans Saints have a similar focus on the run game.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton sees J.K. Dobbins as a good fit with the Saints for this very reason. Moton thinks there's a good chance New Orleans will lean into the run game, especially with starting an inexperienced quarterback. Leaning on the run game would take the pressure off a young passer.
J.K. Dobbins & Alvin Kamara would give the Saints a 1-2 punch
Dobbins was the Los Angeles Chargers' lead back in 2024. It resulted in the best year of his career. The running back finished second in the Comeback Player of the Year race. He handled the most carries of his career, 195 attempts, and set a career high with 905 rushing yards.
In New Orleans, he wouldn't be asked to be the top guy. That role would still belong to Alvin Kamara. Dobbins could come in and be a clear second option, who is more established than the younger players vying for the role. As things currently stand, Kendre Miller and Devin Neal would be battling to be Kamara's running mate.
Why is Dobbins still available?
If Dobbins is coming off of a good season with Los Angeles, why has no one chose to pick him up?
Moton points to the class of runners coming into the league. This was viewed as the best running back class in years. Moton wrote, "teams likely preferred fresh legs over a six-year veteran with an extensive injury history." The Chargers certainly did. They replaced Dobbins with Omarion Hampton in the first round.
This is the biggest thing working against Dobbins. Dobbins has missed significant time in three of his five years in the NFL, including missing all of 2021. All of these injuries were leg injuries. He's suffered an ACL tear, torn his Achilles and had to get an additional surgery that cost him weeks of action.
That's what makes an argument between him and Miller difficult. You'd be grabbing an injury-prone player because you can't depend on a younger injury-prone player.