Can 49ers’ Josh Dobbs take the Sam Darnold route to NFL stardom?
SANTA CLARA — Josh Dobbs has never played on the same team with Sam Darnold, but the 49ers’ starting quarterback has taken notice of his path to sudden NFL stardom.
After floundering with the New York Jets and Carolina, Darnold signed with the 49ers before the 2023 season to learn Kyle Shanahan’s system offense in hopes of re-starting his career elsewhere.
Dobbs did the same thing this season.
Darnold didn’t start for the 49ers until the regular season finale last season. With Brock Purdy out with an elbow injury, Dobbs gets his first start Sunday when the 49ers (6-10) close out the season on the road against Arizona (7-9).
“Sam got an opportunity and took advantage of it,” Dobbs said Thursday. “It’s a lesson for everybody in the NFL that no matter what the opportunity is, big or small, you’ll be able to be the player you dreamed about being.”
It will be Dobbs’ 15th career start and first with the 49ers. While Shanahan said he considered Dobbs and Brandon Allen both as No. 2, Dobbs was ahead of Allen in the game day pecking order just twice – as backup to Purdy in Buffalo and last week against Detroit.
When Purdy sat out a 38-10 loss to Green Bay in Week 12, Allen started with Dobbs as the backup. Dobbs got his first action after Purdy was injured against the Lions, completing 3 of 4 passes for 35 yards and scoring on a 7-yard touchdown run.
“It’s definitely a slower pace of a year,” Dobbs said. “It’s been interesting battling that dynamic of knowing you could be out there, and also recognizing situation and using it as a learning opportunity.”
The 49ers are the eighth NFL organization for Dobbs, who was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round in 2018. That same year, Darnold went No. 3 overall to the New York Jets.
Dobbs was traded from Pittsburgh to Jacksonville in 2020, from Cleveland to Arizona before the 2023 season and then from Arizona to Minnesota during the season. He’s spent time on the practice squads of Jacksonville, Cleveland and Detroit.
After last year’s Cleveland-Arizona-Minnesota whirlwind, the chance to put his feet on the ground and leave them there for a year while learning Shanahan’s system was appealing, as was a one-year, $2.25 million guaranteed contract.
“It’s been good to be in one place for a year for sure and be around the same terminology, same teammates, same coaches and get coaching within one scheme,” Dobbs said. “I’ve enjoyed Kyle’s scheme and watching Brock play really well within that scheme.”
Tight end George Kittle liked what he saw in Thursday’s practice.
“He’s exciting, he can do a lot of things with his legs,” Kittle said. “He throws a really good ball too. He was out there slicing and dicing and we had a really good third-down practice. I’m excited to play with him.”
In 14 starts for Tennessee, Arizona and Minnesota, Dobbs has passed for 2,955 yards with 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and rushed for 503 yards. In settling in for a year with the 49ers, Dobbs has come away with the same appreciation of Purdy that Darnold did. Both spoke highly of Purdy’s meticulous preparation.
“To watch how he prepares and how he segments it and sequences his approach to each play, whether it’s in the run game or pass game with the crazy looks we get every week, has been very impressive to watch,” Dobbs said.
In last season’s finale, with Purdy being rested for the playoffs with the 49ers having the No. 1 seed, Darnold was 14 of 19 for 168 yards and a touchdown in the first half against the Rams en route to a 20-7 lead. The 49ers had only four possessions in the second half — three punts and a lost fumble — and fell 21-20.
Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract as a place holder for first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy and is now in line for a megadeal with the Vikings or someone else. On Thursday, he was named to the NFC Pro Bowl roster after throwing 35 touchdown passes for a 14-2 team.
While Dobbs said he was “going to let free agency take care of itself” he realizes his performance against Arizona could have a big impact on his career.
“Any time you get a chance to play, it’s an audition not only for the team that you’re on, but for the other 31 teams,” Dobbs said. “It’s an opportunity to show what I can do for the 49ers in this scheme as well as other opportunities.”
INJURY UPDATE
The following players did not participate in practice: cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (shoulder), tackle Spencer Burford (calf), linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf), Purdy (elbow), defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (ankle), defensive end Nick Bosa (knee), defensive end Leonard Floyd (shoulder), left tackle Colton McKivitz (knee), and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (rib/wrist). Kittle (ankle/hamstring) was limited, as were cornerback Isaac Yiadom (pelvis) and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (illness, chest).
THE MAKESHIFT LINE
Line coach/run game coordinator Chris Foerster liked what he saw from a 49ers’ offensive line against Detroit that platooned newcomers Charlie Heck and Austen Pleasants at left tackle, with Nick Zakelj at left guard, Jake Brendel at center, Dominick Puni at right guard and McKivitz at left tackle.
Foerster, like Shanahan, said it was the first time he’d ever started a player (Heck) who had been on another team’s practice squad the previous week.
“It was a good night for us,” Foerster said. “Kyle did a great job of calling the game in a way that took the pressure off the line. They held up decently.”
DEFENSIVE STEP BACKWARD
Heading into the finale, the 49ers have given up 389 points – 91 points more than were surrendered in the regular season a year ago under one-and-done coordinator Steve Wilks.
The 49ers gave up 133 points against their three toughest offensive foes – Green Bay (38), Buffalo (35) and Detroit (40).
The most points surrendered during a season in the Shanahan era was 435 in 2020 with Robert Saleh as the coordinator.
Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen hedged when asked if there was an area where the 49ers showed improvement from Week 1 through Week 17, although he has been pleased with the effort overall.
Communication in terms of assignments has been cited by veteran players.
“There were times in the last four weeks when we got better but I felt we took a step back,” Sorensen said. “There was overall inconsistency and you’re going to learn more once we really break it down.”
NOTABLE
— Kittle was named the winner of the Garry Niver Award presented to the player by members of the Pro Football Writers Association for his cooperation and helping the media do their jobs. Purdy finished second and linebacker Fred Warner was third.
— Tarron Jackson, a defensive lineman originally drafted by Philadelphia who has played 24 games with the Eagles and Carolina, was signed to the practice squad. A sixth-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2021, Jackson was with the Philadelphia practice squad this season from Nov. 7 through Dec. 31.