Why Joshua Dobbs was a Disappointment During 49ers OTAs and Minicamp

When the 49ers signed Joshua Dobbs this offseason, he seemed like a potential upgrade over Sam Darnold as their no. 2 quarterback last year. Now, it seems like Dobbs may not even be an upgrade over Brandon Allen, their no. 3 quarterback last year.

Aug 11, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) throws the ball during warm ups before the game against the Washington Commanders at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports | Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Darnold signed with the Vikings this offseason, so Dobbs and Allen are competing to be Brock Purdy's backup. And Dobbs should be the overwhelming favorite to win the competition because he started 12 games last season while Allen hasn't started a game since 2021.

But in 49ers OTAs and minicamp, Allen took all the second-string reps and Dobbs took all the third-string reps. And that's because Allen was better.

To be fair, Allen has been on the team since last year, so he knows Kyle Shanahan's offensive system inside and out while Dobbs is learning it for the first time. But Dobbs is extremely smart and already seems to know where he should go with the ball.

The problem for Dobbs is getting the ball accurately to his intended receiver. His passes are all over the place. He can hit the short ones, but when it's time to throw the intermediate passes over the middle, he throws high, low, behind the receiver -- anywhere but on target and in stride. He's a pass breakup or an interception waiting to happen on those plays.

And despite all of Dobbs' playing experience, he still has won just three starts in the NFL while Allen has won two. So their resumes are comparable. Neither one has a leg up on the other. Whoever plays better in training camp will be Purdy's backup, and so far Allen has the lead.