The New England Patriots added to their quarterback room late Monday afternoon, signing veteran Josh Dobbs to a two-year deal. Dobbs' agent, Mike McCartney, announced the deal on X/Twitter.
Before Monday, the Patriots' QB room consisted of two second-year players: starter Drake Maye and backup Joe Milton. Jacoby Brissett, who started last season as the starter before ultimately giving way to Maye, is a free agent who always seemed unlikely to return.
Dobbs, 30, is entering his ninth NFL season. He has played regular-season games in five of them, including making two appearances for the San Francisco 49ers last season. He has also spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans (in 2022, when Mike Vrabel was head coach there), Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings.
Dobbs' most successful stretch came in November 2023 with the Vikings, when he led them to a come-from-behind win just days after being acquired in a trade, without ever taking a practice snap. He led Minnesota to another win the next week before the magic eventually wore off as the season continued.
Dobbs has been nicknamed "The Passtronaut" due to his background in aerospace engineering, which he majored in while at the University of Tennessee. He also had an internship at NASA's Kennedy Space Center during his time in Jacksonville.
Dobbs would seemingly project as the Patriots' third-string quarterback, with a chance to push Milton for the backup job. Dobbs could also be a capable backup if the Patriots decide to trade Milton if someone offers up a real asset for him.