The Los Angeles Chargers admittedly haven't done very much on the first day of free agency. With Zion Johnson's departure to the Cleveland Browns they, in fact, have more work to do than when they started.
But all of their moves so far, while not necessarily splashy, have helped steer the team in the right direction. Their position of greatest need has been filled with the signing of Tyler Biadasz. Joe Hortiz has since addressed the margins of Mike McDaniel's offense by signing Alec Ingold and agreeing to terms with Charlie Kolar.
There's reason to be pleased with what they've accomplished so far.
The same cannot be said about their AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos. After rumors spread last week that the Broncos were planning to make "a splash" on the running back market once free agency started, they ultimately agreed to terms with J.K. Dobbins just hours into the start of the legal tampering period.
It's a swing and a miss for Denver at their position of greatest need in 2026.
The Broncos are forced to count on J.K. Dobbins yet again
This is, first and foremost, not a hit piece on Dobbins. Through the 10 games he played for the Broncos last season, Dobbins was excellent, amassing 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 attempts. He was a strong veteran leader for a young offense.
But Dobbins has not played a full season in his five-year career. He missed the last seven games of last season with a foot injury. Denver's decision to bring him back on a two-year deal is not only a gamble on his health— it's a sign of what's left for them on the market.
The premier running back options in this year's free agency class were Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne. It's likely the Broncos expressed interest in both, although Etienne would likely have been more to their tastes given the relative competitiveness of his market.
Walker agreed to terms on a three-year, $43 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. Etienne, meanwhile, agreed to terms on a four-year, $52 million deal with the New Orleans Saints. It's also possible that Denver explored the trade market on Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane.
Perhaps the details of Denver's involvement with these players will be revealed in the following days. But, for now, what's certain is that the Broncos missed out on a major opportunity to revitalize their offense in free agency. An explosive back such as Etienne or Walker would have been majorly beneficial to the potency of their RPO game and the threat of Bo Nix as a scrambler.
Running it back with Dobbins is a fine option. But it represents what is likely a disappointing outcome for Broncos fans, and it is therefore a laughable outcome for the Chargers.