Josh Dobbs, Who Twice Lost His Job To A 5th Round Rookie, Now Tries To Save Vikings Following Kirk Cousins Injury

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The Minnesota Vikings traded for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Dobbs ahead of Tuesday's NFL Trade Deadline. Dobbs likely becomes the team's starter following Kirk Cousins' season-ending injury.

As expected, the Vikings didn't have many great options. Jameis Winston would have been perfect, but New Orleans had no reason to trade him.

That's how most teams felt. People suggested every backup QB in the league as a potential replacement for Cousins. But most NFL teams don't want to trade their backup quarterback. They don't get enough value in return to give up their contingency plan in case their own starter gets hurt.

Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending injury on Sunday, so the Minnesota Vikings traded for Josh Dobbs on Tuesday.

Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending injury on Sunday, so the Minnesota Vikings traded for Josh Dobbs on Tuesday. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

That left the Vikings to search for either a free agent, or a third-string QB. They landed on the latter, grabbing Dobbs from Arizona. Dobbs started the first eight games of the season for the Cardinals, but head coach Jonathan Gannon announced that the team planned to bench Dobbs in favor of fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune.

Although, Tune is set to start only until Kyler Murray returns, likely next Sunday. That, de facto, dropped Dobbs to third string.

Josh Dobbs joins his fifth team in the last 11 months following trade from Cardinals to Vikings

So, those who think Dobbs can save the Minnesota Vikings season need to remember that he couldn't maintain the starting job in ARIZONA. He lost his gig to a fifth-round rookie with almost zero NFL experience.

Not only that, but the Cleveland Browns traded Dobbs to Arizona in the preseason after he failed to beat out another fifth-round rookie, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, for the backup gig in Cleveland.

Dobbs, a 2017 fourth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, never started a game in Pittsburgh despite spending four seasons with the team (mostly on the practice squad). The Steelers also traded him to Jacksonville at one point, but he couldn't crack their roster either.

He re-emerged last season after Ryan Tannehill went down with an injury. The Titans bailed on Malik Willis and brought Dobbs in (who was on the Detroit Lions practice squad) to try and help them reach the playoffs. Dobbs started two games, losing both, and Tennessee missed the playoffs.

After benching Josh Dobbs in favor of rookie Clayton Tune, the Cardinals traded the veteran QB to the Minnesota Vikings.

After benching Josh Dobbs in favor of rookie Clayton Tune, the Cardinals traded the veteran QB to the Minnesota Vikings. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

So, Minnesota now turns to the journeyman quarterback with a 1-9 career NFL record. If he can beat out Jaren Hall. Hall is ... wait for it ... a fifth-round rookie. Uh, oh. Dobbs doesn't have a great track record keeping jobs when fifth-round rookies are involved.

At least until Nick Mullens returns from injured reserve, which can happen in Week 10. No matter which direction they go, one thing is for sure.

Minnesota Vikings fans are going to get a great look at life without Kirk Cousins. And, they're going to learn that they had it pretty good.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.