Vikings Reportedly Eyed Reunion with Fan Favorite QB
The quarterback chaos has been ridiculous in the last couple of years in the Twin Cities, with five different starting quarterbacks in the last two seasons alone, only trailing the Cleveland Browns (seven) in that span. The injuries of Kirk Cousins and J.J. McCarthy were devastating for the organization.
Vikings Reportedly Eyed Reunion with Fan Favorite QB
Conversely, between the signing and the injury of Cousins, the Vikings started only two passers. Sean Mannion replaced him in a meaningless Week 17 game and once when the four-time Pro Bowler missed an important game in Lambeau Field on the COVID list. Returning to that consistency is key.
In the only nine games after Cousins’ injury, three different signal-callers took the first snap in a game. That list included Jaren Hall, Nick Mullens, and Joshua Dobbs.
The latter was on Minnesota’s shortlist for the vacant QB2 job earlier in free agency.
On Friday’s episode of the Access Vikings podcast, the Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling reported that the Vikings considered bringing back Josh Dobbs.
“I actually heard this week that Josh Dobbs was a guy they looked at bringing back for a second tour of duty in Minnesota,” Goessling declared. “They’re looking in that market from what I understand at this point.”
They’re looking into that market for a good reason. McCarthy is the expected QB1 for the foreseeable future, but a player who has never taken a snap in the NFL and is coming off a season-ending knee surgery is a risky bet, especially since the Vikings have a competitive roster in 2025.
Therefore, insurance is needed in the form of a backup QB who could step in if needed. Numerous candidates for that job have already signed elsewhere, and Dobbs is one of them. He ultimately joined the New England Patriots, where he will also back up a sophomore quarterback in Drake Maye.
Dobbs received a two-year deal worth $8 million.
His journey with the Vikings was fascinating. Following Cousins’ Achilles tear, the front office scrambled to find another body for the QB room, which is quite a hard task a couple of days ahead of the trade deadline.
Dobbs, however, was available because the Cardinals were close to welcoming back Kyler Murray to the team from his torn ACL, and the season was a lost cause anyway. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pulled the trigger and acquired the journeyman.
Mullens was on IR with a back injury at the time, and after just a few days in the building, Dobbs was named backup for rookie Hall. One quarter into the game, Dobbs was suddenly needed because Hall suffered a concussion.
The following three quarters were quite unbelievable. Despite not knowing the snap counts, the plays, and perhaps even the names of his receivers, Dobbs completed a comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons. A week later, he dismantled the New Orleans Saints in the first half.
Then, unfortunately, his magic dwindled, turnovers piled up, and he was benched. Regardless of how it ended, that week and change was an exciting time.
Dobbs then moved on, backing up Brock Purdy in San Francisco for a season.
The Vikings still need a backup, and the most prominent candidates are Joe Flacco, Ryan Tannehill, Carson Wentz, and fellow former Viking Case Keenum.
Dobbs turned 30 in January. He will not return to Minnesota, at least for now.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt