The Arizona Cardinals will turn to veteran quarterback Josh Dobbs to start Week 1 against the Commanders. Dobbs joined the Cardinals late in the preseason after being traded by the Browns for a 2024 fifth-round draft pick. Arizona also received a 2024 seventh-round draft pick in the deal. Dobbs filled the role of the seasoned passer on the roster after the Cardinals cut longtime backup quarterback Colt McCoy near the end of the preseason.
Cardinals expected to start QB Josh Dobbs in Week 1 vs. Commanders. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/bfp0qAVY6v
— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2023
Josh Dobbs beats out Tune to hold down QB spot for injured Murray
Dobbs won the position battle over rookie quarterback Clayton Tune. Tunethrew for 353 yards and one score against a pick in three preseason games. Tune, a fifth-round selection out of Houston, threw 70 touchdowns and nearly 8,000 yards in his final two collegiate seasons. Meanwhile, Dobbs competed 50% of his passes for 77 yards and a pick in his lone preseason game while still a member of the Browns.
The two signal callers were vying for the starting gig, with franchise quarterback Kyler Murray starting the season on the PUP. Murray won’t be eligible to practice or play until after the season’s first four weeks. The former Heisman Trophy Award winner tore his right ACL in December last year. When healthy, Murray is one of the better duel-threat quarterbacks in the NFL. The two-time Pro Bowler accounted for nearly 4,400 passing yards per 17 games and 50 passing touchdowns from 2020-2021. He also ran for 16 scores during that span.
Josh Dobbs: Outlook for 2023
Josh Dobbs will earn just his third career start on Sunday. The Tennessee product started two games for the Titans last season, going 0-2 and throwing for 411 yards and two touchdowns against two picks. He also fumbled twice, but neither was lost. Overall, Dobbs has a 66.6 quarterback rating in three years in the NFL. He was originally a fourth-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2017 but threw no touchdowns and one interception in his two seasons with the Yellow and Black.
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