The San Francisco 49ers have addressed their need for a backup quarterback for Brock Purdy, and have done so by signing one of the unlikely stars of last season.
San Francisco is signing Josh Dobbs to a one-year deal, per his agent Mike McCartney. Fascinatingly, the deal is for a fully guaranteed $2.25 million with another $750k in playing time incentives. Purdy's cap hit for the third year of his rookie contract is just over $1 million.
Dobbs obtained cult hero status during the 2023 season following his trade from the Arizona Cardinals to the Minnesota Vikings after a season-ending injury to Kirk Cousins.
He led the Vikings to an improbable comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons after replacing an injured Jaren Hall on his debut, throwing for 158 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 66 yards and a score despite having minimal knowledge of the offense.
Dobbs followed that up with a win over the New Orleans Saints, but he was eventually benched for Nick Mullens after a four-interception performance in a defeat to the Chicago Bears.
However, having spent time with the Cleveland Browns and the Vikings last year, Dobbs — who will likely be the number two quarterback ahead of Brandon Allen — has experience working in offenses that are essentially offshoots of the Kyle Shanahan scheme and, like San Francisco's starter Brock Purdy, brings a creation element to make plays out of structure if needed.
More than anything else, Dobbs proved that, with the right players around him, he can win games if pressed into action at short notice. For a team like the 49ers that lives perennially in win-now mode after last season's agonizing Super Bowl defeat, that is extremely valuable and reflected by the guaranteed money given to Dobbs.
But the difference between Dobbs' salary and that of Purdy also serves to illustrate how much of a bargain the 49ers' starter continues to be. Purdy gave the 49ers MVP-level production last season but, at the time of writing, his cap hit ranks 61st among quarterbacks, per Spotrac.
Though it is likely to be his final cheap year, the 49ers are in a remarkably fortunate position with Purdy, and the amount they were willing to pay Dobbs reflects just how important it was to San Francisco to have a safety net who can keep the team in contention if that most incredible of assets is taken away for a few games.
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