Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs is keeping his talents in the NFC.
After appearing in just eight total games from 2018 to 2022, the 29-year-old Dobbs saw ample playing time for two teams last year. He was the Arizona Cardinals’ starting quarterback for eight games while starter Kyler Murray recovered from surgery on a torn ACL he suffered late in 2022.
With starting QB Kirk Cousins out for the year with a torn Achilles, the Minnesota Vikings acquired Dobbs and a 2024 seventh-round pick from Arizona, with a 2024 sixth-round pick going the other way.
Dobbs got off to a strong start in Minnesota by winning each of his first two games, against two other playoff contenders in the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints. But Dobbs’ play regressed over the next three games (two touchdowns, five interceptions), and that prompted head coach Kevin O’Connell to give Nick Mullens the starting nod.
The change at QB did nothing to help O’Connell and company, however. The Vikings finished 7-10 and wound up missing out on the postseason for the third time in four years.
Joshua Dobbs Is The 49ers’ New QB2
The 49ers and Vikings swapped quarterbacks in non-trade fashion in a matter of days. The Vikings signed Sam Darnold, Brock Purdy’s backup, last week to a one-year contract worth $10 million.
Days later, the 49ers have landed the former Minnesota backup to take Darnold’s place as the QB2 on the depth chart. While Dobbs will back up Purdy, however, Darnold could very well open 2024 as the Vikings’ starting QB.
For his career, Dobbs is 3-11-0 in games started with a 62.2 completion percentage for 2,920 yards, 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions to go along with 496 rushing yards and six rushing scores.