Josh Dobbs’ Redemption Tour is preparing for something special

When Josh Dobbs went through his draft evaluation phase, the buzz was that he would be the first quarterback to add additional questions to the Wonderlic. Dobbs’ intellect has been a central aspect of his narrative since he enrolled in Tennessee as a 4.0 student with an interest in aeronautical engineering.

Visualizing and memorizing playbooks is one of the most difficult aspects of playing quarterback in the NFL. Dobbs has made a joke out of extensive playbooks. Now on his fifth team in a year, Dobbs has mastered learning shorthand playbooks. In three preseason appearances with the Cleveland Browns, Dobbs completed 35 of 53 passes for 338 yards, two touchdowns and a tackle for 57 yards on the ground and a rushing score.

Dobbs was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017 as a developmental quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger, but few expected him to last this long. However, it was his recent stint in Tennessee that almost led to his breakthrough. The first start of his career didn’t come until the final two games of the 2022 season – after joining the Tennessee Titans. In the final three minutes of a Week 18 clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, Dobbs was hit from behind by Rayshawn Jenkins, who blitzed the safety as he dropped back to throw, fumbling the ball forward where it was picked up by Josh Everyone was caught and returned for the game-winning touchdown. That fumble slammed Tennessee’s playoff door shut. Now Dobbs leads the Vikings on an upward trajectory after their fifth straight win in the NFC North and has a chance to right last year’s mistake.

If there is any justice in the world, Dobbs will lead Minnesota in the playoffs while Deshaun Watson, the quarterback Dobbs was in charge of in the preseason, continues his regression at quarterback. Through a combination of negligent planning and karma, In return, Cleveland traded Dobbs to Arizona for a measly fifth-round pick. Since arriving in Minnesota from Arizona nearly two weeks ago to secure a sixth- and seventh-round pick in 2024, Dobbs has been making fun of all the concerns players have about the task of covering NFL playbooks digest. In Week 1, Dobbs took the field after an injury to backup quarterback Jaren Hall and led the Vikings to a comeback victory despite only having a few days to get to know his receivers.

Dobbs, who took the reins from the start after his first full week of practice against New Orleans, kept the good times rolling, totaling 312 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-19 win. Watching another player who cost his franchise the seventh round decide to make a magical run through the rest of the schedule in the middle of the season is a sight we’ve seen before with Brock Purdy.

Minnesota may not have the upside that the 49ers’ roster had, but Justin Jefferson will return from injury in the coming weeks. Dobbs has been around a lot longer than Purdy, but this is the first time he’s been given the opportunity to grow and play. Two games doesn’t make a season, but Dobbs is already receiving high praise for the Comeback Player of the Year award. But how do you even make a comeback if they never arrived?

In two games as a Viking, Dobbs has become almost a mythological figure, practicing alchemy inside and outside the pocket. If it is him Running donuts around the defense and as the memory of Kirk Cousins ​​fades, it’s clear the Vikings are brewing something special.

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