The Denver Broncos brought in veteran running back JK Dobbins near the end of their offseason program, fortifying their running back position and adding the player who was arguably the best overall running back in the entire division last season.
Dobbins was available because the Chargers decided to sign veteran Najee Harris in NFL Free Agency as well as use a 1st-round pick on North Carolina's Omarion Hampton. The decision to pivot off of Dobbins to Harris was an odd one to begin with, considering the success Dobbins had last year, especially when paired with the drafting of Hampton.
Now, the Chargers may really be regretting their decision, because Harris was involved in a Fourth of July fireworks incident.
Chargers may regret letting Broncos get JK Dobbins after Najee Harris fireworks incident
"Najee Harris was present at a 4th of July event where a fireworks mishap resulted in injuries to several attendees. Najee sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident, but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season."- via NFL.com
Thankfully, Harris is okay. Nobody wants to see anybody getting hurt in the offseason for any reason, but especially not in this type of way. Meaning, the completely avoidable type.
The Chargers made a surprising move this offseason to move on from JK Dobbins and bring in Harris in the first place. Harris is a former first-round pick out of Alabama who has been a model of durability, which is likely the biggest reason they decided to sign him instead of bring back Dobbins, who has had a pretty extensive injury history.
But for the cost to sign each guy, and given the fact that Dobbins finished 2nd in the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year voting, the decision was surprising.
Dobbins racked up over 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the Chargers last year and is now entrenched as the Broncos' top running back heading into the coming season. You could argue he's still the top back in the division, despite the additions other teams have made.
Both the Chargers and Raiders have added 1st-round picks at the running back position and the Broncos brought in second-round pick RJ Harvey, so every team felt like it was time to make changes and upgrades. But the Chargers took more drastic measures than any team, giving Harris a one-year deal worth up to $9.25 million and then also using a first-round pick on Omarion Hampton.
Is it possible they'll end up regretting that process? Especially given Harris's fireworks scare, and the potential of Dobbins now to make an impact for a division rival, the Chargers might be kicking themselves down the road.
