The Detroit Lions signed quarterback Josh Dobbs to a one-year contract, filling the backup void left by Teddy Bridgewater’s retirement behind Jared Goff.
Terms of the deal suggest Detroit views Dobbs as more than camp filler, though his path to meaningful snaps still runs through a crowded quarterback room heading into the fall.
According to NFL Network‘s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport, the contract is worth $1.425 million, with $475,000 fully guaranteed. Garafolo framed the guarantee as a real commitment, positioning Dobbs as the presumptive No. 2 quarterback in Detroit now that Bridgewater has stepped away.
Dobbs’ agent, Mike McCartney, confirmed the agreement in a post on social media shortly after the news broke.
The move doubles as a homecoming. Dobbs briefly sat on Detroit’s practice squad in December 2022 after Cleveland released him, only for Tennessee to sign him away days later for a pair of late-season starts.
Detroit’s quarterback room now runs through Jared Goff as the unquestioned starter, with Dobbs stepping into a depth role. Bridgewater’s retirement removed a steady, experienced presence from the QB2 job, and the Lions needed someone who could step in on short notice if Goff were sidelined.
Josh Dobbs’ Brief Patriots Tenure by the Numbers
Dobbs landed in New England on a two-year, $8 million contract in March 2025, with $3.8 million fully guaranteed, as he settled in behind second-year quarterback Drake Maye, according to CBS Sports reporter Tyler Sullivan.
New England released Dobbs on March 23, 2026, after failing to find a trade partner, choosing instead to keep Tommy DeVito as Maye’s backup, according to Sports Illustrated reporter Mike Kadlick. The move saved the Patriots roughly $3.7 million in cap space.
Dobbs appeared in four games for New England in 2025 without a start, completing 7 of 10 passes for 65 yards and an 87.5 passer rating, while adding 10 rushing attempts for -5 yards, according to NFL.com statistics.
Josh Dobbs’ Well-Traveled NFL Journey
Robert Joshua Dobbs, born January 26, 1995, in Alpharetta, Georgia, built his college case at Tennessee from 2013 to 2016, throwing for 7,138 yards and 53 touchdowns while adding 2,160 rushing yards and 32 scores on the ground, according to Sports Reference‘s college football database.
He graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA in aerospace engineering, interned with NASA and earned a private pilot’s license, habits that stuck him with the nickname “the Passtronaut” long before he threw an NFL pass.
The Pittsburgh Steelers took the 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback in the fourth round, 135th overall, of the 2017 draft. Nine years and nine franchises later, Detroit becomes his 10th NFL address, following stops with the Steelers, Jaguars, Browns, Titans, Cardinals, Vikings and 49ers.
That path included a memorable 2023 stretch filling in as the starter for both the Cardinals and Vikings after each team lost its own starter in-season, throwing for 2,464 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding 421 rushing yards and six scores on the ground.
His career passing line stands at 351 completions on 559 attempts for 3,346 yards, 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions across 27 games, with 15 starts and a 3-12 record as the guy under center, according to NFL.com. He has added 515 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground over that stretch.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Lions Sign Former Patriots Quarterback to $1.4 Million Contract appeared first on HEAVY.