Vikings trade for Cardinals QB Josh Dobbs: What will his role be in Minnesota?

By Dianna Russini, Alec Lewis and Doug Haller

The Minnesota Vikings found reinforcement at quarterback Tuesday by trading a sixth-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for Josh Dobbs and a seventh-round pick, the Vikings confirmed. Here’s what you need to know:

The Vikings needed help at quarterback after Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in Sunday’s win over the Green Bay Packers.
The team plans to start rookie Jaren Hall against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday.
Dobbs started eight games for the Cardinals this season while Kyler Murray is recovering from an ACL injury.
The 28-year-old has thrown for 1,569 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions during that stretch.

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Why the Vikings made this move

Well, first, there’s the obvious. Cousins ruptured his right Achilles on Sunday and his absence left two healthy options in the quarterback room: Hall and Sean Mannion. The first is a rookie quarterback. The second has started three career games in the NFL.

The Vikings also have an experienced quarterback on injured reserve. Nick Mullens, who has started 17 NFL games, is navigating a back injury. He’s eligible to return next week, but there are no guarantees.

With those variables in mind, the Vikings needed to add a quarterback for the week at minimum. Dobbs has played for seven different teams since he arrived in the NFL in 2017. Without much time before this upcoming weekend’s game, he is a cost-effective candidate who can acclimate to O’Connell’s scheme quickly. — Alec Lewis, Vikings staff writer

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What will Dobbs’ role be?

This is a question of both the short term and long term.

Though the Vikings drafted Hall for a reason, the team is in an interesting spot. Minnesota is 4-4 and in the NFC playoff picture. Having a rookie start games does not align with the team’s belief that it can push for a postseason spot, especially given the way its defense has developed under first-year coordinator Brian Flores.

Dobbs, simultaneously, fits a lot of what O’Connell seeks in a QB — accuracy, field vision and functional mobility. His integration into the offense should happen fast and, depending on the availability of Mullens, give him a solid chance at starting. — Lewis

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Analyzing his time in Arizona

Dobbs was always a temporary quarterback for the Cardinals. With Murray recovering from ACL surgery, the Cardinals needed him to come in and keep the team competitive until Murray was ready. After a solid start, he struggled as the Cardinals dropped five in a row.

He lost his starting job this week, and with Murray on the mend, it made sense for Arizona to move him.

While Dobbs fell short of proving he could be a starter in this league, he accounted for himself well. Coaches and teammates spoke highly of him. He could have made excuses — joining the team late during the preseason, not having enough playmakers around him — but never did.

At a minimum, he knows how to react when thrown into difficult situations. — Doug Haller, Arizona staff writer

Backstory

The Vikings become the fifth team Dobbs has been with over the past year. He started two games for the Tennessee Titans late last season after being a member of the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions organizations.

He then returned to the Browns in the offseason as a free agent before being traded to the Cardinals to start the 2023 season.

Arizona’s starter was up in the air when it traded for Dobbs, and the franchise later settled on him as the starter. The Cardinals have gone 1-7, and coach Jonathan Gannon said Sunday that Dobbs would start against the Browns next Sunday. A day later, Gannon reversed course and named rookie Clayton Tune the starter.

Dobbs’ recent timeline

Nov. 28, 2022: Waived by Browns
Dec. 5. 2022: Signed with Lions practice squad
Dec. 21, 2022: Signed by Titans off Lions practice squad
Dec. 29, 2022: Made first NFL start in Titans’ loss to Cowboys (also started season finale on Jan. 7)
March 20: Signed with Browns as a free agent
Aug. 24: Traded by Browns to Cardinals
Sept. 10: Made first of eight starts for Cardinals (1-7)
Oct. 31: Source: Traded by Cardinals to Vikings

Required reading

(Photo: Steven Bisig / USA Today)