A month before the 2023 NFL season, Joshua Dobbs was an afterthought in the minds of even the most fervent NFL fans.
The 28-year-old entered the preseason expected to serve as Cleveland’s backup quarterback. He had signed a deal to join the Browns, and it made sense for them to add insurance behind Deshaun Watson, who was preparing to play a full season’s worth of games for the first time since 2020.
But Dobbs didn’t stay in Cleveland. Instead, he bounced around before landing in Minnesota at the season’s midpoint.
Now serving as Kirk Cousins’ replacement, Dobbs has the Vikings playing well. And if he can keep that up, the Tennessee product will be a hot commodity once again during the 2024 NFL offseason.
Dobbs’ performance of late could be a flash in the pan by a savvy journeyman who has seen a lot during his career to date. That said, he could also be proving he just needed the right opportunity.
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Here’s what to know about Dobbs’ career thus far and the time he has spent with each of his seven NFL clubs.
How many teams has Joshua Dobbs played for?
Since being selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Dobbs has played for seven different NFL teams.
He has bounced around despite his solid play in each spot, which is part of the reason he has played for four different teams over the last calendar year.
Below are the teams for which Dobbs has played during his career:
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2017-19; 2020-21)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (2019)
- Cleveland Browns (2022; 2023)
- Detroit Lions (2022)
- Tennessee Titans (2022)
- Arizona Cardinals (2023)
- Minnesota Vikings (2023-present)
MORE: Full details of Josh Dobbs trade between Vikings and Cardinals
Joshua Dobbs career timeline
Dobbs began his NFL career primarily serving as a backup quarterback. He was never able to establish himself as more than that during his early seasons.
However, now that he has been allowed to start for several different teams, Dobbs has proven he belongs in the league. Now he just needs to continue showing his high football IQ to stake a claim to a starting quarterback job — or high-end backup position — for next season.
Here is a recap of the stints that eventually led Dobbs to Minnesota, where he is further establishing himself as a quality NFL signal-caller.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2017-19)
Dobbs was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and the team hoped to develop him into a quality backup. He began his career behind Ben Roethlisberger and Landry Jones, but he eventually worked his way into the backup role for the 2018 season.
Dobbs played sparingly in 2018 in relief of Roethlisberger when the veteran quarterback got banged up. He completed 6 of 12 passes for 43 yards and an interception in that limited action while adding 11 yards on four rushes.
However, Dobbs didn’t last as Pittsburgh’s No. 2 signal caller. Mason Rudolph usurped that role from him in 2019, and that rendered Dobbs expendable. The Steelers were able to trade him for a fifth-round pick early in the 2019 season.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2019-20)
The Jaguars were the team that struck the deal to land Dobbs. He went to Jacksonville to serve as depth behind Gardner Minshew after the team’s starter, Nick Foles, went down with a broken clavicle in Week 1.
The Jaguars didn’t use Dobbs during the 2019 NFL season. They kept him through the 2020 preseason but released him among the team’s final cuts. That’s when Dobbs, then 25, made his way back to Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2020-21)
The Steelers claimed Dobbs off waivers from the Jaguars and reinstalled him as the team’s third-string quarterback behind Roethlisberger and Rudolph. This all unfolded as the NFL was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, so it made sense to have a third quarterback handy in case either Roethlisberger or Rudolph came down with the virus.
Once again, Dobbs played sparingly, but he did see a bit of action in the team’s 24-22 loss to the Browns in Week 17. He completed 4 of 5 passes but generated just two yards through the air. He did show off his solid scrambling ability with two runs for 20 yards.
Dobbs returned to the Steelers again in 2021 but didn’t play for them. He landed on IR in August and missed the season.
MORE: Is Joshua Dobbs in the Comeback Player of the Year Award mix?
Cleveland Browns (2022)
There were teams interested in Dobbs’ service even after his time with the Steelers ended. The Browns brought him on board for the 2022 season to add depth to their quarterback room with Deshaun Watson suspended.
Dobbs served as the backup to Jacoby Brissett during the 11 games Watson missed to start the 2022 campaign. Once Watson returned, Dobbs was released, as the Browns wanted to keep Kellen Mond around as a developmental third-string quarterback.
Detroit Lions (2022)
Dobbs landed on his feet quickly after his release from Cleveland. The Lions signed him to their practice squad to serve as depth behind Jared Goff and Nate Sudfeld. He was only in Detroit for a couple weeks, however, before moving on to yet another new team.
Tennessee Titans (2022)
The Titans proved to be one of Dobbs’ first big breaks. They signed him off the Detroit practice squad with big plans for him. He was going to serve as a backup to Malik Willis with Ryan Tannehill hurt, but after impressing in his first two weeks in Tennessee, Dobbs replaced Willis in the starting lineup.
Dobbs was unable to help the Titans beat the Cowboys or Jaguars in his two starts, but he looked good considering he had been with the team for just a couple weeks. He completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 411 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Dobbs also did his best to keep the Titans close in a win-and-in game in Week 18 against Jacksonville. He wasn’t quite able to finish the job, but he showcased that he could be a functional backup at the NFL level. That helped him earn another contract despite his 0-2 record.
Cleveland Browns (2023)
The Browns offered Dobbs a contract during the 2023 NFL offseason despite the fact that they had released him during the 2022 season in favor of Kellen Mond.
Cleveland needed some insurance behind Watson, as Brissett seemed likely to sign elsewhere. Dobbs was brought back as a solid, familiar option who was on the rise after his stint with the Titans. That made him an ideal get for Cleveland, but it didn’t preclude the Browns from selecting a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Browns chose Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the fifth round out of UCLA. He performed well in extensive preseason action, so the Browns decided to roll with him as their backup. Once again, that made Dobbs expandable.
MORE: Why the Browns traded Joshua Dobbs, explained
Arizona Cardinals (2023)
This time, the Browns were able to trade Dobbs. They sent him to the Cardinals along with a seventh-round pick in 2024 for a fifth-round pick in that same draft. Arizona was happy to acquire Dobbs, as they envisioned him being the starter until the injured Kyler Murray was able to play.
Dobbs did occupy the Arizona starting job for eight weeks. He performed relatively well considering his middling supporting cast, completing 62.8 percent of his passes for 1,569 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Despite his solid numbers, the Cardinals only went 1-7 in his eight starts.
Still, there was plenty of interest in Dobbs around the 2023 NFL trade deadline. And with Murray almost back and rookie Clayton Tune waiting in the wings for an opportunity to prove himself, the Cardinals, like the Browns, opted to trade Dobbs to a quarterback-needy contender.
Minnesota Vikings (2023)
The Vikings were the team that came calling to get Dobbs after Kirk Cousins went down with a torn Achilles. They sent a sixth-round pick to the Cardinals to acquire Dobbs and a seventh-round pick. He was initially meant to provide depth, but he quickly emerged as the top option.
Dobbs has led Minnesota to a pair of wins in his two games and has completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 426 yards and three touchdowns. He has also run for 110 yards and two touchdowns without turning the ball over.
If Dobbs can continue to perform that consistently, then the Vikings will be the winners of the trade. He has given some life to a team that could have fallen apart after Cousins’ injury; the Vikings now have the inside track to a wild-card spot and are within striking distance of the NFC North-leading Lions.
Dobbs doing so well in Minnesota, his fifth different team in a calendar year, is impressive. Perhaps his rocket-scientist brain is helping him pick up the new offenses he has had to learn, but whatever the reason, he is making himself some money as he prepares to become a free agent once more.
So while Dobbs has bounced around a lot during his career, it seems he will soon have a long-term landing spot if he can continue to prove himself in Minnesota.