Joshua Dobbs is back in Allen Park and yes, that is as weird as it sounds
Teddy Bridgewater stepped away from the Lions on Sunday morning. Hours later, Brad Holmes had already filled the void. And the replacement is someone who has already been in this building before.
Joshua Dobbs is signing with Detroit. Again.
If the name sounds familiar, that’s because Dobbs was on the Lions practice squad back in 2022 before the Titans poached him a few weeks later. Since then, he’s bounced around the league like a pinball. Stints with the Vikings, Browns, Cardinals, 49ers, and Patriots. The most notable stop was in Minnesota, where he started multiple games for an injured Kirk Cousins in 2023 and somehow won a game after being with the team for just a couple of days. That earned him some national attention and a reputation as a guy who can step in cold and not completely implode.
Boom or bust is the phrase that comes to mind
Dobbs brings mobility and the ability to make something happen when the pocket collapses. He can leave the structure of a play and still find a way to move the chains. That’s the boom.
The bust is that he can also be too aggressive at times. He’ll force throws that aren’t there. He’ll take chances that backfire. It’s the classic backup quarterback tightrope walk.
The hope here is simple: you never see him play a meaningful snap. Preseason only. Maybe a blowup in December if the Lions have already locked up a playoff spot. That’s the dream scenario.
Holmes worked fast and considered the alternatives
The Lions also brought in former Saints quarterback Jake Haener and UFL MVP Jack Plummer for workouts on Sunday. Holmes did his homework. But Dobbs was the choice, and he’s expected to join the team for camp on Monday.
He’ll make his preseason debut Thursday against the Bengals. And if all goes according to plan, that’s the most action he’ll see all year.
Is bringing back a guy who’s already been cut from this roster once a sign of trust in Brad Holmes or desperation at the backup spot? Drop your take below.
I like this move honestly. Dobbs has shown he can step in and not completely tank things, and Brad Holmes clearly did his due diligence by looking at other options. The guy knows the system from before too, so there’s no wasted time getting him up to speed. If Jared stays healthy this whole thing is moot anyway.
I get why they did it and honestly Holmes has earned the benefit of the doubt with how he’s built this team, but bringing back a guy you already cut once feels like we’re hoping for lightning in a bottle. Hopefully it’s just insurance and we never need to find out if this works or not.
You know what, I’ve seen some bad backup QB situations in my time following this team, and this ain’t one of them. Dobbs has actually been in real games before. That’s more than I can say for a lot of the stop gaps we’ve trotted out there over the years. Holmes knows what he’s doing.