Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins Draws League’s Attention During ‘Monday Night Football’
The Denver Broncos rolled the Cincinnati Bengals, winning 28-3 in Week 4. Many players made an impact, but running back J.K. Dobbins took center stage for snapping not one but two droughts on the national stage and garnering attention from the NFL.
Signed during the 2025 offseason in free agency after months of mutual interest, Dobbins has been a featured part of the Broncos’ offense.
That continued against the Bengals, as the Broncos moved to 2-2 on the season.
J.K. Dobbins Snaps Droughts for Sean Payton, Broncos
GettyJ.K. Dobbins #27 of the Denver Broncos reacts after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Dobbins was a second-round pick by the
He entered Week 4 with 222 yards and 3 touchdowns on 41 carries and another 14 yards on four receptions.
He tallied 101 yards and 16 carries against the Bengals.
“J.K. Dobbins is the first 100-yard rusher for the @Broncos in the last 38 games,” the NFL posted on X on September 29 during the veteran’s latest standout showing in Week 4 against the Bengals.
“There it is, folks,” The Denver Post’s Luca Evans posted on X on September 29. “J.K. Dobbins has the first 100-yard game by a #Broncos rusher in the Sean Payton era.”
Dobbins is the first Broncos running back with at least 100 rushing yards in a single game since Latavius Murray in Week 18 of the 2022 season. Moreover, he was not the only Broncos runner to shine on the primetime stage.
Payton said he was unaware of the drought but that it was “good” to have a 100-yard rusher.
Broncos Get RJ Harvey Going
GettyRJ Harvey #12 of the Denver Broncos carries the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Broncos also found ways to get rookie second-round pick RJ Harvey going, even with Dobbins’ big night.
Harvey finished the game with 14 carries for 58 yards and another 40 yards and 1 TD on 4 receptions. It was a strong representation of the
Dobbins saw one target, which he caught for 4 yards.
Still, it could be an indication that Harvey’s role in the offense will grow, especially as a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. Payton commended both Harvey and Dobbins for running well during the contest.
Broncos Play Complementary Football
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Broncos entered this contest misfiring on several cylinders in critical phases, and the early going offered more causes for concern. While Dobbins and Harvey were positives for the Broncos, quarterback
Most notably, Nix had a red zone interception while the Broncos led 14-3 in the second quarter.
“Bo Nix should have just ran it in. But the last thing he can do is throw an INT,”
“An INT in the end zone gives the Bengals the ball at the 20.”
In the end, Nix completed 69% of his passes for 326 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT. Most importantly, the Broncos got the win, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Dobbins and Harvey.
Gilbert Arenas Openly Calls for Lakers to Break Salary Cap Rules
In a recent appearance on his podcast, Gil’s Arena, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas suggested on his podcast that the
Speaking about James’s longevity and value to the NBA, Arena mused that the Lakers, or even the league itself, ought to find creative ways to compensate LeBron beyond the limitations of the NBA’s arcane yet overarching salary cap. Arenas, clearly, believes James is worth breaking the rules for.
“If I were the owner, I would have made a deal with him,” said Arenas. “Ask him what he wanted. If I can backdoor another $50 [million] to him, like invest in his school or whatever, something he’s going to capitalize on later in life to save me $50 [million] today where I can build, I would have done it.”
The Hot Topic Of NBA Cap Circumvention
“Cap circumvention” is a very hot topic of conversation in the NBA right now. The other Los Angeles team, the Clippers, are having their feet held to the fire regarding a no-show endorsement contract by
A generous interpretation of Arenas’s comment might say that he was making a point about how, because of the confines of the cap, the NBA’s biggest stars are underpaid relative to their true economic value. LeBron James generates hundreds of millions annually in ticket sales, merchandise, television ratings, sponsorship exposure and other unquantifiable benefits, for both the Lakers and the NBA. Yet due to the NBA’s salary cap, the maximum contract he can sign, while still sizeable, is a fraction of his market value.
However, Arenas’ proposed workaround of essentially just side-stepping the cap is, to give him an even more generous interpretation, ill-timed.
Precisely because of the Leonard situation, awareness of cap circumvention,
Lakers And LeBron Not Extending Together
The discussion of how to pay LeBron more is derived from recent reports that, for whatever reason, the Lakers and LeBron have been unable to come to terms
At 40 years old and entering his record-setting 23rd NBA season, LeBron continues to perform at a level that defies logic and convention. Yet in being by far the oldest player in the NBA means the Lakers have to operate on multiple timelines. They can only spend so much on a player who will only be around for so long.
By any measure, LeBron – who is set to earn $52,627,153 in NBA player salary this season – is underpaid compared to his impact. For the Lakers, the value he provides in ticket business, jersey sales and sponsorships far exceeds his annual salary. For the NBA, his presence boosts television deals and international reach to an unfathomable degree. Even my mother has heard of LeBron James. In that sense, Arenas’ point – that LeBron is worth more than the system allows – reflects a real imbalance. Yet the suggestion of paying LeBron off the books only causes problems, rather than fixes them.
Gilbert Arenas, Noted CBA Analyst
What Arenas (probably unintentionally) has touched upon is a conversation about whether the NBA’s salary cap rules should evolve.
Some have long argued for a “franchise exception”
Such proposals have never gained all that much traction, in part because they threaten the competitive balance that the NBA so badly seeks. Nevertheless, Arenas could be onto something there. Unless, of course, he was wanting to be taken entirely at face value.
Gilbert Arenas is no stranger to hot takes, and these LeBron comments may simply be another example of his – once again, generously-described – flair for provocation. It is not as if he is likely to have studied the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s particulars before reaching this position. Still, the idea of paying anyone via a backdoor strikes a sensitive chord in a league that right now would rather we all stop talking about the possibility even existing. Arenas may have been speaking tongue-in-cheek, as his his wont. The NBA, however, won’t be laughing.
