Josh Dobbs shined in the Pittsburgh Steelers' final preseason game versus the Carolina Panthers. Could the backup quarterback's good tape provide enough impetus for a team to trade for him?
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Good Morning Football on Friday that Dobbs is one quarterback who has "garnered interest" from around the league and could be traded over the next 24 hours.
Thursday's showing won't hurt the cause. The 23-year-old completed 8 of 12 passes for 151 yards, a 12.6 yards per-throw average, and one touchdown for a 137.5 quarterback rating. Dobbs led three scores in four series before handing the reins over to rookie Mason Rudolph.
The second-year quarterback hopes he did enough to warrant a roster spot with the Steelers or elsewhere.
"Hopefully, I'll stay here. But that will all play itself out," Dobbs said after Thursday's game, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I don't' know what the future holds. That's just how it is and the business we're in. You can't really worry about those type of things. You can't control them, you [have] to block them out of your mind."
When the Steelers drafted Rudolph, it spelled the likely end of Dobbs' short run in Pittsburgh. With coach Mike Tomlin insisting on keeping Landry Jones as Ben Roethlisberger's backup, three QB slots are filled.
After struggling mightily last preseason, Dobbs impressed this time around. The vast improvement in pocket presence and reading defenses could land him a job somewhere as a backup.
One of those potential landing spots happens to be Thursday's opponent, the Panthers. Carolina's backup situation to Cam Newton is sketchy. Neither Taylor Heinicke or Garrett Gilbert stood out this preseason, and each struggled again Thursday.
The dichotomy of Dobbs' impressive play coupled with the struggles of the Panthers' current backup on the same field led to the headline: " Most impressive QB on the field Thursday did not play for Panthers. But could he?" from the Charlotte Observer. (Hmmmm ... Thinking-face emoji).
The Dolphins, Lions, Texans and Raiders are other teams that could be in the market to upgrade their backup quarterback spot.
