National Football League free agency continued on Wednesday with two more key free agent signings. The Dallas Cowboys signed running back Royce Freeman of Imperial, California to a one-year contract worth $1.29 million according to Spotrac, and the Los Angeles Chargers signed J.K. Dobbins of Houston, Texas to a one-year contract according to Caio Miari of The Score. The financial terms to his contract were not disclosed.
Freeman is joining his fifth NFL franchise. He previously played three seasons with the Denver Broncos from 2018 to 2020, one season with the Carolina Panthers in 2021, two seasons with the Houston Texans in 2021 and 2022, and one season with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023. Dobbins is joining his second NFL franchise. He previously played three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
In 2023 with the Rams, Freeman had 77 rushes for 319 rushing yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for 13 yards. The reception came in a 21-20 Rams win over the San Francisco 49ers on January 7.
Also this past season, Dobbins had eight rushes for 22 rushing yards and one touchdown, and two catches for 15 receiving yards. The touchdown was a four-yard run in the first quarter in a 25-9 Baltimore Ravens win over the Houston Texans on September 10.
Dobbins is one of two former Ravens running backs to join the Chargers in the offseason. The other is Gus Edwards of Monrovia, Liberia, who signed a two-year deal worth $6.5 million.
One constant concern with Dobbins has been injuries. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the 2021 preseason and was out for the year, and then tore his Achilles in the 2023 NFL regular season opener and was once again done for the year.
