As the San Francisco 49ers look to make a return to the Super Bowl, they are adding some insurance at the quarterback position.
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the reigning NFC champs have signed veteran quarterback Joshua Dobbs to a one-year contract. Per Pelissero, Dobbs’ deal with the 49ers includes $2.25 million in fully guaranteed money, with the potential for another $750,000 based on playing time incentives.
Originally selected out of Tennessee by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the 2016 second-team All-SEC selection spent the first two and a half years of his career in Pittsburgh before being traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars midway through the 2019 campaign. After being waived by the Jaguars ahead of the 2020 season, Dobbs returned to Pittsburgh and remained with the Steelers for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
In 2022, he signed with the Cleveland Browns and served as the team’s primary backup quarterback for its first 11 games before being released following the end of Deshaun Watson’s suspension. He then spent time on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad before being signed by the Tennessee Titans. He went on to start two games for Tennessee, including a winner-take-all Week 18 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars for the AFC South division title, which the Titans lost.
Ahead of the 2023 campaign, Dobbs returned to Cleveland and was expected to serve as Watson’s primary backup. But before the start of the regular season, the Browns traded him to the Arizona Cardinals, who he started eight games for before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings ahead of the trade deadline.
In Minnesota, Dobbs appeared in five games (four starts) and completed 62.9 percent of his passes for 895 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions, adding 163 yards and three scores on the ground. In signing with San Francisco, the 29-year-old Dobbs will be counted on to backup third-year quarterback Brock Purdy, with the details of his contract indicating that he’ll likely be the 49ers’ top backup in 2024.
