Getty Joshua Dobbs #5 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Just when it appeared they were finished making moves under center, the Cleveland Browns have officially signed another quarterback.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers signal caller Joshua Dobbs became a member of the Browns on Friday, April 8. Dobbs’ agent Mike McCartney broke the news via Twitter.
Excited for @josh_dobbs1 agreeing to a 1 year deal with the @Browns
“Excited for @josh_dobbs1 agreeing to a 1-year deal with the @Browns,” McCartney wrote Friday evening.
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Dobbs Fourth QB on Cleveland Browns Roster
GettyQuarterback Joshua Dobbs, formerly of the Pittsburgh Steelers, drops back to pass against the Carolina Panthers during a game at Bank of America Stadium on August 31, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Dobbs, 27, joins presumptive Browns starter Deshaun Watson, likely backup Jacoby Brissett and the leftover Baker Mayfield as quarterbacks on the Browns’ roster.
The Steelers selected Dobbs in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee. He appeared in five games for the Steelers in 2018, though mostly during garbage time, as he completed just 6-of-12 passes for 43 yards and one interception over the course of that season.
Pittsburgh traded Dobbs to the Jacksonville Jaguars the following year in return for a fifth-round draft pick, but added him back to the roster via the waiver wire in September 2020. Dobbs appeared in just one contest that year, completing 4-of-5 passes for only two yards. He has also rushed the ball six times for 31 yards throughout his short career.
The Steelers designated Dobbs to the injured reserve list (IR) on August 31, 2021, after he suffered a toe injury that sidelined him for the entire season, per CBS Sports.
Browns’ Signing of Dobbs Could be Clue to Baker Mayfield’s Future
Getty ImagesTrade rumors continue to swirl around Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield as the 2022 NFL Draft approaches.
The Browns’ decision to sign Dobbs could be an indicator that Mayfield will soon be on the move.
General manager Andrew Berry held a media session via Zoom on Tuesday, March 29, during which he said the team was in no hurry to make a decision on Mayfield’s future.
“I wouldn’t say we have a specific timetable for the QB room,” Berry said, per The Athletic’s Zac Jackson. “Baker is a professional, he’s under contract, and we have the [salary cap] flexibility whether he’s on the roster or not. So we don’t really feel pressed to rush into anything that’s suboptimal.”
Berry’s comments can be interpreted in multiple ways. The first is that the Browns are attempting to regain some of the leverage they lost in potential trade talks after they signed Watson and Brissett absent a clear plan for Mayfield, which alienated the team’s four-year starter and prompted him to demand a trade.
The other interpretation is that Cleveland may intend to keep Mayfield on the roster, and even start him to begin the season if Watson ends up suspended for his off-field conduct. There is some consensus among league analysts that the NFL will likely sideline Watson for at least six games due to 22 unresolved civil cases filed against him alleging various levels of sexual misconduct.
Going that route would allow Mayfield the opportunity to rebuild his trade value after playing through a debilitating shoulder injury for much of last season. It is currently rumored that the Seattle Seahawks are the most likely trade partner for the much-maligned Mayfield, while the Atlanta Falcons have also been mentioned by Bleacher Report as a possible sleeper team in the mix.