Why did the Ravens let J.K. Dobbins go? How much money does he make with the Chargers?

The Los Angeles Chargers host the Baltimore Ravens for a Monday Night Football match this week. Not only is it the Harbowl - the game in which brothers, coaches Jim and John Harbaugh meet - but this game will also have special significance for Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins.

Dobbins played for the Ravens for the last four seasons before they ultimately let him go at the end of the 2023 season. He left John Harbaugh’s team and went directly to his brother Jim’s team to play for the Chargers in 2024.

Dobbins' injury-plagued tenure with the Ravens

2020: Rookie season

The Ravens selected Dobbins in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. In his rookie season, he mostly played off the bench, but was given his first start in Week 16 against the New York Giants, finishing the game with 11 carries for 77 yards and a touchdown in their 27-13 win. The next week, Dobbins rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Unfortunately, the rest of his tenure with the Ravens would be plagued with injuries from then on.

2021: Torn ACL

Dobbins tore his ACL in the final preseason game ahead of the 2021 season, forcing him to sit out the entire year and even the first two games of the 2022 season as well.

2022: Knee surgery

He was finally able to return in Week 3 of the 2022 season, but just one month later, he was sidelined again. In their Week 6 game, Dobbins experienced some knee tightness and ended up needing another surgery. The Ravens had to place him on Injured Reserve and he did not return until Week 14. He would go on to start in the next eight games, putting up 105 scrimmage yards plus a receiving touchdown in their Wild Card loss to the Bengals.

2023: Achilles injury

In 2023, Dobbins unfortunately was still unable to escape the injury bug, which bit him in the Achilles. In just the first game of the season against the Houston Texans, Dobbins tore his Achilles, forced to miss another full season of football.

In his final three seasons with the Ravens, Dobbins appeared in just nine games total. His contract with Baltimore expired after that season, and Dobbins entered into free agency.

Dobbins' journey with the Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers decided to take the risk and sign Dobbins to a one-year, $1.61 million deal, and he’s proven that he was worth the risk. Dobbins has had a great season so far with Jim Harbaugh’s side as their leading rusher, logging 726 yards and eight touchdowns through 10 games. To put that in perspective, in Dobbins' rookie year, he totaled 805 yards, a number he’s quickly approaching with seven games still left to play.

Dobbins is one of just four players in the NFL this season who have played four games in which they scored a rushing touchdown, caught a pass, and averaged five yards per carry. The others are Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Jahmyr Gibbs.

As he looks to face his former team tonight, Dobbins is on track to have his best career season yet and potentially a major deal next season as well.

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