Listed at 5-foot-8, 195 pounds, Lance Dunbar won’t physically be a big part of the Rams’ offense in 2017, but Dunbar’s versatility should allow him to play an important role.

Dunbar signed a one-year contract with the Rams this month that could be worth up to $3 million, and it seems to be a good free-agency fit. The Rams need Dunbar, 27, to be their backup running back, a pass-catching threat out of the backfield and a kickoff returner. And in a way, Dunbar needs the Rams.

Less than two years ago, Dunbar, then with Dallas, suffered a massive knee injury. He returned in 2016, ahead of schedule, but admittedly didn’t put forth his best showing. Dunbar touched the ball only 27 times last season, but new Rams coach Sean McVay apparently has some big ideas for Dunbar.

“He talked to me about what they were looking for, the reason they wanted to bring me in,” Dunbar said Wednesday. “They look at me the same way I look at myself, the kind of player I am. That meant a lot to me, coming from Dallas where I was a third-down back. I want to show the world what I can do.”

Dunbar understands his limits. His size always has been a negative, and largely contributed to him being undrafted out of North Texas in 2012 and signing with Dallas. He’s not an every-down power back.

But the Rams already have one of those, in Todd Gurley. They needed a complement, and perhaps an upgrade from incumbent backup Benny Cunningham, who signed with Chicago this week. That should be Dunbar, and McVay already has a specific role in mind.

McVay previously worked as offensive coordinator in Washington, where he utilized versatile back Chris Thompson. Last season, Thompson had 68 carries, 49 receptions and returned 17 kickoffs. Dunbar has a similar skill set, and is the exact same listed height and weight as Thompson.

It’s no surprise that, in McVay’s meeting with Dunbar this month, Thompson’s name got mentioned.

“The fact that I’ve seen (McVay) let (Thompson) do those things,” Dunbar said, “it gave me a little more confidence, and belief in him, that he will allow me to do those things.”

Dunbar’s return to complete health also will be a positive. Dunbar had just started to establish himself as an NFL player when, four games into the 2015 season, he tore knee ligaments and his patellar tendon during a kickoff return.

Dunbar’s rehabilitation went far faster than expected — he returned for the latter part of last season’s training camp — but the Cowboys clearly had made contingency plans. Dunbar had a low spot on the depth chart, behind backs Ezekiel Elliott, Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden.

Limited mostly to a third-down role in 2016, Dunbar had nine carries for 31 yards and 16 receptions for 122 yards.

“I wasn’t myself at the beginning of the season,” Dunbar said. “I was just jumping in. I had to get comfortable again and get my feet under me and get trust in my knee. It took a while, but midway through the season I started feeling like myself again.”

That feeling could get tested further in 2017, because Cunningham also served as the Rams’ primary kickoff returner. Pharoh Cooper had some success in that role last season, but Dunbar also would seem to be a candidate for kickoff returns.

Dunbar said he hadn’t yet talked to McVay about returning kicks, but expressed no trepidation.

“Whatever they need me to do,” Dunbar said. “I know I got injured on kickoff return, but that didn’t scare me away from kickoff return. I’m a football player and I love making plays.”

Contact the writer: rhammond@scng.com