Former Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs is having a nice week at the Senior Bowl and is hoping to boost his draft stock. Quarterback can be one of the trickiest positions to project, however, because teams must match need and skill set with value more so than any other standard position.
Simply put, not every team needs a quarterback, and some have a player blueprint that might not be a great fit for Dobbs.
With all that in mind, here are five teams that might be a good fit for the former Tennessee QB:
1. Cleveland Browns
No, the Browns aren’t going to take Dobbs No. 1 overall. But they need quarterback help in the worst way, and could even take multiple QBs with their abundance of picks, especially since they are loaded with mid-round selections. They’ve met with Dobbs at the Senior Bowl this week and there’s an obvious connection with owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee. The Browns might not be a dream scenario for Dobbs, but with the way they go through quarterbacks, you’d have to think he’d see the field at some point.
2. Tennessee Titans
In a sense, the Titans are set at quarterback since they have their franchise guy in Marcus Mariota. But they also have some questions at the position with Mariota coming off a serious injury and no other quarterbacks are currently under contract for 2017. Veteran Matt Cassel could return, but honestly, do Titans fans feel great about him coming in and leading the team for an extended time? And even if the answer is “yes” the Titans could use another young quarterback to develop. Mariota’s career looks promising, but injuries have been an issue. GM Jon Robinson and coach Mike Mularkey put extra emphasis on high-character, hard-working players, and Dobbs certainly fits that mold.
3. Oakland Raiders
GM Reggie McKenzie will certainly be no stranger to Dobbs, and the Raiders reportedly held an “extensive” interview with him at the Senior Bowl. Derek Carr is undoubtedly the future, and the Raiders invested a pick in Connor Cook out of Michigan State in 2016 to provide some insurance. But backup Matt McGloin is a free agent, meaning there could be room for another quarterback on the roster in 2017.
4. Detroit Lions
Sticking with the theme of connections, the Lions have a former Tennessee quarterback – Jim Bob Cooter – as offensive coordinator. More importantly, the Lions need some depth at quarterback. Journeyman veteran Dan Orlovsky is a free agent who has appeared in just two games in three years in Detroit. The Lions spent a sixth-round pick on Jake Rudock in 2016, but actually cut him at one point last year before eventually re-signing him to the practice squad and elevating him to the roster late in the year. They don’t have too much invested in him. Matthew Stafford is durable and isn’t going anywhere, but the Lions need to have some more options behind him.
5. Atlanta Falcons
Watching the Falcons’ prolific offense this year probably wouldn’t make you think much about them needing a quarterback, but this is an intriguing possibility. Matt Ryan is playing at an MVP level, but behind him veteran Matt Schaub, who will be entering his 14th year in the league, will be a free agent. And that’s all the Falcons have right now in terms of quarterbacks on their current active roster. Falcons quarterbacks coach Matt LeFleur has connections to Butch Jones and Mike DeBord, so if he likes what he hears about Dobbs (who is also an Atlanta-area native), perhaps he could be his next project.
