Did the 49ers find their 2025 backup quarterback in Josh Dobbs?
There’s no sense in over-analyzing what amounted to a fourth preseason game Sunday in Arizona.
Deebo Samuel was in sunglasses and smiling on the sideline. In the second quarter, George Kittle wrote “Hi Mom!” on his tablet and positioned himself for the cameras so it could be shown on the air. Brock Purdy was in a ballcap and following along with the play sheet.
The 49ers lost to the Cardinals 47-24, finished the season 6-11 and that’s the end of the story.
But you wonder if coach Kyle Shanahan may be regretting leaving Josh Dobbs behind Brandon Allen on the quarterback depth chart most of the season and even starting Allen in Green Bay when Purdy couldn’t play.
Not that the decision made a difference in the grand scheme of things or even on Sunday. But even with a bad lost fumble and two interceptions, Dobbs had the look of someone who could be a viable backup for the 49ers going forward.
The problem? Dobbs signed a one-year contract last offseason and is a free agent. It will be up to Shanahan to sell Dobbs on the idea that being No. 2 for the 49ers in 2025 is a better situation than signing on to start for another potential also-ran that presumably doesn’t have the bounce-back capability of the 49ers.
Dobbs wasn’t anywhere near perfect, with the careless lost sideline fumble more egregious than either of the two interceptions. His first interception took a remarkable catch from Sean Murphy-Bunting when Dobbs and Jauan Jennings weren’t on the same page. The second glanced off the outstretched hands of Ricky Pearsall.
But Dobbs lost Jennings when the wide receiver was baited into an ejection in the first half after a pair of personal fouls following overly enthusiastic blocks while he was 25 yards short of 1,000 on the season. Kittle took a seat in the second quarter and didn’t return. Isaac Guerendo lasted two carries before suffering a knee/ankle injury, leaving journeyman Patrick Taylor Jr. to carry the load.
For much of the game, Dobbs, who was elevated above Allen only in what Shanahan considered “scramble” games, looked comfortable operating the offense to its specifications while using his legs only when necessary.
“I did feel good out there,” Dobbs said. “I felt like I was seeing what the defense was doing pre-snap, post-snap, being able to take advantage of their looks. Hit the big play when it was there and also check it down and let the guys get some run after a catch.”
Dobbs completed 29 of 43 passes for a career-high 326 yards, with touchdown passes of 6 yards to Pearsall and 36 yards to Kyle Jusczcyk. He also scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run. It didn’t look like a scramble drill. It looked like someone who could be a fit for Shanahan’s offense.
Afterward, Shanahan’s praise for Dobbs, who turns 30 later this month, was more faint than forceful.
“I thought Dobbs did a really good job minus the turnovers,” Shanahan said. “You take out those turnovers and I thought he had a hell of a game.”
It’s incumbent upon the 49ers to have a veteran backup who can step in for two reasons. First, Purdy missed a pair of games due to injury this season and his irritated elbow is at least cause for minor concern considering it underwent major repairs after the 2022 season.
Second, Purdy is due a big-money contract extension in the offseason and the 49ers haven’t been the most expedient team at getting those deals done in a timely fashion. On the off chance that there is difficulty making the deal, the 49ers will want a veteran quarterback taking charge of things in OTAs and training camp if necessary.
After being involved with eight different organizations over an eight-year career, Dobbs put his feet down in one place in 2024.
“What I’ve learned is the best opportunities to learn and grow are to be standing out on the field in the fire and learning how to win games in the NFL,” Dobbs said. “I haven’t got a lot of opportunities to do that. Being in the same offense throughout the year, this is the first opportunity I’ve had in my NFL career.”
On that level, staying in the same place might be appealing even if it’s as a backup.
“I want to go to a spot where I get a chance to compete, whether it’s for the starting job or the No. 2,” Dobbs said. “To be able to push the room and contribute week in and week out and be a guy that the team is relying on.”
Kittle wasn’t expansive when it came to Dobbs, but appreciated his approach all week after Shanahan said Purdy wouldn’t play.
“You guys will get answers from him on how he thought he played,” Kittle said. “I appreciated his grit, his toughness and his eagerness to play this week and I think that really helped us out a lot.”
Even without turnovers, it was going to be nearly impossible for Dobbs to author a winning effort Sunday. Not with the 49ers losing starting safeties Talanoa Hufanga (concussion) and Malik Mustpapa (knee) before halftime and giving up yardage in clusters to Kyler Murray and Co.
The 49ers’ 2-7 nosedive following their bye saw them play their last 552 defensive snaps since Evan Anderson recovered a gift fumble against Chicago without a takeaway. They were a minus-14 in turnover margin since they were 4-4 at the bye.
Not even Joe Montana or Steve Young could put a team in the playoffs under those circumstances. The question is whether Dobbs, who played on a one-year, $2.25 million contract, would accept a relatively modest contract upgrade to stick around for another year.
“I want to have a consistent environment, a consistent coaching staff and be the best version of myself every single day,” Dobbs said. “I’ll be excited to hit the ground running when March comes around and we’ll see where this football journey takes me.”