With Kirk Cousins sidelined for the remainder of the 2023 season after suffering an Achilles' injury against the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings have acquired quarterback Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals.
The two teams also swapped a pair of 2024 NFL Draft selections. The Cardinals receive a sixth-round pick, while the Vikings receive a seventh-round selection that could turn into a sixth-rounder.
It's an extremely low-risk move for Minnesota as Dobbs is set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end and counts less than a million bucks against the salary cap. He also gives Kevin O'Connell somewhat of a veteran presence to pair with rookie Jaren Hall, who closed out the Vikings' Week 8 win over the Packers.
And for Dobbs, it's a chance to continue playing as the 28-year-old was set to be benched by the Cardinals after throwing a pair of interceptions this past Sunday during Arizona's 31-24 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Will Josh Dobbs start for the Vikings?
Make no mistake about it. Josh Dobbs will be QB1 for the Minnesota Vikings -- just perhaps not for this Sunday's Week 9 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons.
While Jaren Hall put up solid numbers at BYU, prompting Minnesota to draft him in the fifth round back in the spring, there's no way O'Connell is ready to trust him with the Vikings' offense on a full-time basis, especially seeing as how they're back in playoff contention at 4-4.
Sure, the 25-year-old looked fine as he completed three of four passes for 23 yards against Green Bay. But there was really no pressure there, as the Vikings had a big lead and just needed to get to the finish line.
While Dobbs has a limited amount of experience as a starter, he's at least been around the block a few more times than Hall.
And while Dobbs will never put up Kirk Cousins-like numbers, he was at least playing decently for a bad Cardinals team. In eight starts for Arizona in 2023, the Tennessee alum completed 62.8% of his passes for 1,569 yards with eight touchdowns against five interceptions, adding another 258 yards and three scores on the ground.
Vikings quarterback depth chart following Josh Dobbs trade
- Josh Dobbs
- Jaren Hall
- Nick Mullens (IR)
So, again, Josh Dobbs will be QB1 for the Minnesota Vikings. Whether or not he starts against the Falcons remains to be seen, as he only has five days to get himself situated with a new playbook.
But if Dobbs doesn't start against Atlanta, he could get thrown into the mix if Hall struggles. And he'll undoubtedly be under center when the Vikings host the New Orleans Saints in Week 10.