Former Vols QB Josh Dobbs receives big compliment from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan

Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Josh Dobbs received a nice compliment from San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan this week. 

Dobbs, who signed with the 49ers earlier this offseason after spending the 2023 season with the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings, was praised by Shanahan for the way he was able to quickly pick up the offense in Arizona last season despite joining the franchise just before the start of the regular season. 

The former Tennessee quarterback was traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Cardinals just a couple of weeks before the start of the 2023 season. 

Dobbs led Arizona to a surprising win against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3 before facing Shanahan and the 49ers in Week 4 (San Francisco beat Arizona 35-16 that week). 

"I was just surprised, when a guy gets traded when preseason's over, I forget which week we saw him, and to see a guy have that much command of the offense that fast," said Shanahan. "To miss the offseason in an offense you didn't play in is tough. Going against him, and studying him going into those games -- and after because he was on Minnesota, too -- it was cool how he gave his team a chance to win. And being new to it and having total command of whatever scheme he was doing. 

"And we got to see him in a number of them (schemes) last year. And you could see that when given the opportunity, he figured it out, gave his team a chance to win. From a backup guy, that's the first thing that you want is just a chance for a guy to come in and give your team a chance to win. I also think he's got the ability to do a little bit more than that." 

Shanahan noted that Dobbs, who signed with the 49ers in March during the first wave of free agency, has quickly picked up San Francisco's offensive system thanks in part to his ability to memorize everything "very fast". 

"He memorizes everything very fast," said Shanahan. "He's extremely smart, he's got all that down (the offensive system). Now it's about just reps and doing it." 

Dobbs is battling former Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen for the primary backup quarterback job in San Francisco this offseason. 

Allen, a sixth round selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft, also signed with the 49ers this offseason. He spent the last three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.