Vikings Should Replace Josh Dobbs With $4 Million Veteran QB

Getty Quarterback Joshua Dobbs of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Josh Dobbs rocket ship ride was fun, but it’s time for the Minnesota Vikings to come back to earth and transition to a more proven quarterback.

Dobbs captured the attention of not just the Vikings fan base but the entire NFL universe by leading the team to an improbable comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons, despite almost zero knowledge of the playbook or his teammates. The run continued with a victory over the New Orleans Saints and a one-point road loss to the resurgent Denver Broncos.

But after a 4-interception performance against the lowly Chicago Bears in a 12-10 home defeat on Monday Night Football, the Vikings need to concern themselves less with narrative and more with reclaiming control of the NFC Wild Card race.

The best way for Minnesota to do so is by inserting backup quarterback Nick Mullens into the starting lineup following the bye week.

Kevin O’Connell Indicated He May Bench Josh Dobbs for Nick Mullens

GettyMinnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell.

Kevin O’Connell has 13 days to experiment and evaluate which of his three QBs gives the Vikings the best chance at success now that Justin Jefferson is set to return to the field when his team does on December 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

O’Connell spoke to his plans during a media session on Tuesday, November 28, without directly committing to a specific path forward under center.

Anytime you can infuse the best receiver in football back into your offense, there’s going to be ways to … get Justin going and make sure he has a critical impact on the football game. … The quarterback position absolutely plays into that.

We’re going to make sure that whoever is playing quarterback is aware and understands the intent behind plays where either Justin is the primary [target], or based upon coverage, based upon the defensive look, how to quickly and efficiently get to the right place to go with the football.

In the end that’s what the NFL passing game is about — rhythm, timing, understanding that the defense can and will take some things away, but progressing in rhythm.

ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, who attended O’Connell’s press conference, summarized the coach’s comments in full via a post to X (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday.

“Kevin O’Connell talked today about how he’ll choose the Vikings’ post-bye QB,” Seifert wrote. “Some of it fit Nick Mullens’ profile, but he also spoke highly of Jaren Hall and broached the possibility of more aggressively molding the scheme to Josh Dobbs’ strengths.”

Nick Mullens Has Stronger Starting Argument Than Josh Dobbs, Jaren Hall

GettyQuarterback Nick Mullens of the Minnesota Vikings.

The argument for Dobbs is his football IQ and the fact that the team’s two losses under his leadership came by a combined 3 points. The argument for Hall is that he’s a talented enough player that the Vikings spent a fifth-round pick to select him, and that he looked good in less than a quarter of action against the Falcons before leaving the game with a concussion.

But neither of those arguments is as strong as the one that can be made for Mullens, given that Minnesota has five games remaining until the postseason and probably needs to win at least three of them to earn a Wild Card berth.

Mullens has more experience than either of the Vikings’ alternatives, with 17 career starts on his resumé. Dobbs has now started 13 games, though all of that action has come during this season, save for two starts with the Tennessee Titans at the end of last year. Mullens is 5-12 during his NFL tenure, while Dobbs is 2-11.

Mullens has a higher career completion percentage (65%) and a higher passing touchdown percentage (4.1%) than Dobbs (63% and 3.1%, respectively). His average yards per attempt (7.8) is also significantly higher than Dobbs’ (6.0).

In the context of O’Connell’s comments, Mullens’ superior ability to push the ball down the field makes him a preferable candidate to Dobbs with the full complement of pass-catchers healthy, including Jefferson, Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson.

Dobbs also has the disadvantage of coming off a career-worst performance against the Bears, while Mullens represents a measure of hope simply because he’s yet to take a snap in 2023.

Nick Mullens Healthy, Ready to Earn Paycheck From Vikings

GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (left) suffered a back injury in October 2023.

The whole reason Minnesota traded with the Arizona Cardinals for Dobbs was because of a season-ending Achilles tear suffered by Kirk Cousins, which compounded a back injury that sent Mullens to IR in mid-October. The reason Dobbs got into the lineup so quickly was due to the concussion suffered by Hall in Atlanta.

Hall may be the most talented quarterback eligible for the active roster, but his experience is next to nil. Simply put, the Vikings can’t afford rookie mistakes if they hope to make the postseason. Cousins isn’t walking through that door, and Dobbs isn’t likely to inspire the same confidence within the locker room that he did just two weeks ago.

Beyond that, Minnesota paid Mullens $4 million on a two-year deal this offseason to return as the backup quarterback. It’s time to let the man earn his money.