Dobbs’ first start as 49ers QB could come in final game with team originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — Quarterback Joshua Dobbs signed with the 49ers in the offseason after starting a career-high 12 games in 2023.
It looks as if his first start with the 49ers on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals could come in his final game with the team.
Dobbs, 29, who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, did not exactly go overboard when asked if he would like to return to the 49ers for the 2025 season.
“Free agency will be free agency, so we’ll let that handle itself,” Dobbs answered.
Dobbs opened the season as the 49ers’ No. 3 quarterback behind Brock Purdy and backup Brandon Allen. He knew he would not supplant Purdy as the starter, but he figured to be ahead of Allen on the depth chart.
Coach Kyle Shanahan elevated Dobbs to the backup role for two games in which he figured he needed a backup quarterback who could be more effective as a runner.
Again, that is the case on Sunday against Arizona with the 49ers down at least two starters on their offensive line.
Dobbs’ first action of the regular season came on Monday night with 1:36 remaining in the fourth quarter after Purdy was sidelined with an elbow injury.
Dobbs completed three of four pass attempts for 35 yards, then scrambled for a 7-yard touchdown run in the 49ers’ 40-34 loss to the Detroit Lions.
The season has not been a complete waste for Dobbs. So many teams around the NFL run some variation of Shanahan’s offense that it should set himself up to have a lot of options on the free-agent market.
“It’s been good to be in one place for the year, for sure, and be around the same terminology, same teammates, same coaches, and just get consistent coaching within one scheme,” Dobbs said. “So I’ve enjoyed that. I’ve enjoyed learning Kyle’s scheme, watching Brock play really well within the scheme.
“It’s been good to be around the guys, obviously be around a scheme that’s been very successful and is at several other places throughout the NFL. So I’ve enjoyed the year.”
Dobbs broke into the NFL in 2017 as a fourth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent two full seasons with the club before he was sent to Jacksonville in a trade. From there, he went back to Pittsburgh, then to Cleveland, Detroit, Tennessee and back to Cleveland.
A year ago, Dobbs was traded from the Browns to the Cardinals in late August. He ended up starting eight games for the Cardinals before he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings at the trade deadline. Dobbs started four games with the Vikings.
In those 12 starts with two teams, Dobbs completed 62.8 percent of his pass attempts for 2,464 yards with 13 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a passer rating of 79.5. He also rushed for 421 yards and six touchdowns.
This season has been a lot less eventful. Dobbs said he has learned a lot about patience.
“It’s definitely weird,” Dobbs said. “It’s definitely a slower-paced kind of a year.
“For me personally, it’s been interesting battling that dynamic of knowing that you can be out there, you played really good football, and also recognizing the situation and using it as a learning opportunity.”
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast
This embedded content is not available in your region.