When Josh Dobbs was going by means of his draft analysis interval, the working joke was that he could be the primary quarterback so as to add extra inquiries to the Wonderlic. Dobbs’ mind has been a key facet of his narrative since he enrolled at Tennessee as a 4.0 scholar with an curiosity in aeronautical engineering.

The act of visualizing and memorizing playbooks is without doubt one of the most tough points of taking part in quarterback within the NFL. Dobbs has made a joke out of voluminous playbooks. Now on his fifth staff within the span of a 12 months, Dobbs has mastered studying playbooks in shorthand. In three preseason appearances with the Cleveland Browns, Dobbs accomplished 35-of-53 passes for 338 yards, two touchdowns and tacked on 57 yards on the bottom and a speeding rating.

Dobbs was drafted by Pittsburgh as a developmental quarterback behind Ben Roethlisberger in 2017, however few anticipated him to cling to his profession so long as he has. Nevertheless, it was his more moderen cease in Tennessee that almost grew to become his breakthrough second. The primary begins of his profession didn’t come till the ultimate two video games of the 2022 season—after he latched onto the Tennessee Titans. Within the closing three minutes of a Week 18 conflict with the Jacksonville Jaguars final season, Dobbs was hit from behind by blitzing security Rayshawn Jenkins as he dropped again to throw, fumbled it ahead, the place it was picked up by Josh Allen and returned for the game-winning landing. That fumble slammed Tennessee’s playoff door shut. Now Dobbs has the Vikings on an upward trajectory within the NFC North after their fifth straight win and has a possibility to redeem himself for final 12 months’s blunder.

If there’s any justice on this planet, Dobbs will lead Minnesota on a playoff run whereas Deshaun Watson, the quarterback Dobbs held a clipboard for within the preseason, continues his regression as a quarterback. By way of a mixture of negligent planning and karma, Cleveland traded Dobbs to Arizona in alternate for a measly fifth spherical choose. Since arriving in Minnesota from Arizona virtually two weeks in the past in alternate for a sixth and seventh spherical choose in 2024, Dobbs has made a mockery of all of the fretting gamers do over the duty of digesting NFL playbooks. In Week 1, Dobbs took the sphere after an damage to backup quarterback Jaren Corridor and proceeded to guide the Vikings to a comeback win regardless of having solely days to get to know his receivers.

Handed the reins from the beginning towards New Orleans after his first full week of follow, Dobbs let the nice instances roll to the tune of 312 whole yards and two touchdowns in a 27-19 win. Watching one other participant who price his franchise a seventh spherical choose rising mid-season to embark on a magical run by means of the rest of the schedule is a sight we’ve seen earlier than with Brock Purdy.

Minnesota could not have the upside that the 49ers roster did, however they’ll have Justin Jefferson getting back from damage within the coming weeks. Dobbs has been across the block for much longer than Purdy, however that is the primary time he’s been given a possibility to flourish and play. Two video games doesn’t make a season, however Dobbs is already receiving buzz for Comeback Participant of the Yr. However how does one actually have a comeback after they’d by no means arrived?

In two video games as a Viking, Dobbs has virtually turn out to be a mythological determine making alchemy from inside and outdoors the pocket. When he’s working donuts across the protection and fading the reminiscence of Kirk Cousins, it’s clear the Vikings have one thing particular brewing.

Comply with DJ Dunson on X: @cerebralsportex