The New England Patriots have released quarterback Joshua Dobbs (h/t NFL Network's Ian Rapoport). Their breakup presents an interesting opportunity for the Pittsburgh Steelers to take a chance on a grizzled veteran in a potential full-circle moment.
Pittsburgh gave Dobbs his first shot in the league nearly a decade ago. He was the club's fourth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft (No. 135 overall). While their first spell didn't exactly go as planned, to put it lightly, the two sides need each other now more than ever.
Considering Mason Rudolph and 2025 sixth-round selection Will Howard are currently their only options, the Steelers have little to lose from reuniting with Dobbs.
The Pittsburgh Steelers handed a shot to reunite with QB Joshua Dobbs in free agency after Patriots' release
Of course, the Aaron Rodgers-sized elephant in the room looms large. The Steelers may very well be dragging their feet waiting for the four-time MVP to return for his 22nd season. However, excluding him, Dobbs, AKA the Passtronaut, suddenly becomes one of the top remaining free-agent signal-callers.
Dobbs was limited to mop-up duty with the Patriots, though we've seen him be productive when called upon with other teams. He came on in 2023 with the Arizona Cardinals in then-starter Kyler Murray's absence and looked the part of a viable, albeit uninspiring, stopgap.
While the Cardinals didn't do much winning with Dobbs under center (1-7 in eight games), he wasn't necessarily the problem. Turnovers were a bit of an issue at times, yet his efforts made him an asset. Arizona traded the University of Tennessee product to the Minnesota Vikings as part of a late-round pick swap.
In 13 contests with the Cardinals and Vikings, Dobbs posted a 62.8 completion percentage, 2,464 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also racked up an additional 421 yards and six scores on the ground, showcasing legitimate dual-threat skill. His proven upside is higher than anything Rudolph has displayed across their respective careers, which are fascinatingly intertwined.
Rudolph beat out Dobbs for the Steelers' backup passer job in the 2019 offseason. Pittsburgh shipped the latter to the Jacksonville Jaguars in short order before reclaiming him off waivers in September 2020 — and the rest is history.
As the saying goes, one man's trash is another person's treasure. The Patriots reportedly let Dobbs go after failing to find someone to take him off their hands, but that doesn't mean he can't contribute elsewhere. Pittsburgh is a logical landing spot for both parties.
It's worth noting that a market for Dobbs may not take shape until after this year's draft, depending on whether squads bring in a rookie passer. Either way, the Steelers can do much worse than to take a flier on him, whom they're already familiar with. At the very least, he would provide more competition at football's most important position.