The 49ers found a way to get a cost-effective solution at quarterback.

The San Francisco 49ers solved their backup quarterback problems when they signed Josh Dobbs to a one-year, $2.25 million contract last week.

Dobbs, 29, is coming off a year where he started 12 games, splitting time between the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings, throwing for 2,464 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while completing 62.8 percent of his passes.

He now joins the 49ers as the clear No. 2 to starter Brock Purdy, allowing the 49ers to prioritize other positions when it comes to the remainder of free agency and the NFL Draft.

To me, this signing was one of the underrated moves for San Francisco this offseason, and I’m dubbing it a home run. Here’s why.

The contract

As I revealed earlier, Dobbs was signed to a one-year, $2.25 million deal, which is fully guaranteed at signing, with the chance to earn an additional $750,000 at signing.

The guarantees on Dobbs’s contract make it essentially a guarantee that he’ll be the backup quarterback this season.

How does this contract compare to the remainder of backup quarterback contracts across the NFL this offseason?

Tyrod Taylor (Jets): 2 years, $12 million ($6 million annually)

Marcus Mariota (Commanders): 1 year, $6 million ($6 million annually)

Mitchell Trubisky (Bills): 2 years, $5.25 million ($2.625 million annually)

Drew Lock (Giants): 1 year, $5 million ($5 million annually)

Jimmy Garoppolo (Rams): 1 year, $4.5 million ($4.5 million annually)

Jameis Winston (Browns): 1 year, $4 million ($4 million annually)

Mason Rudolph (Titans): 1 year, $2.875 million ($2.875 million annually)

Easton Stick (Chargers): 1 year, $2.67 million ($2.67 million annually)

Of all the quarterbacks, who are all expected to be backups in 2024, listed above, Dobbs is the cheapest option.

So, the 49ers were able to find a cost-effective solution for their backup role, while throwing in incentives to sweeten the deal.

Now, it’s not a bad deal for Dobbs, who gets guarantees and security, but it’s the type of deal San Francisco was looking for at the backup position.

Impact

Now, I’ve been fairly outspoken in my belief that the backup quarterback position has become one of the more overrated in football, especially with the 49ers.

When Jimmy Garoppolo was the team’s starter, it was almost a certainty that he’d face an injury every season, as he played just one full season in five years with the team.

Usually, if it comes down to your backup, the chances of winning meaningful games significantly decrease.

Therefore, it becomes more valuable to utilize your resources to fill other holes, instead choosing to find cost-effective solutions at the backup quarterback spot via the draft or if they pop up in free agency.

That’s exactly what happened with Dobbs, who is signing for just $2.25 million on a one-year deal.

With Dobbs, the 49ers aren’t necessarily getting a special talent at quarterback, but instead are getting a proven option who can pull out a win or two if necessary.

Again, it’s likely that if things go down to your backup quarterback in meaningful games, the results won’t be as you wish, but Dobbs has at least shown the ability to play in clutch situations and provides a veteran presence to the room.

Now, it’ll be intriguing if the 49ers divert back to the draft to get a third option or choose to roll with Purdy and Dobbs as their two signal-callers on the 53-man roster.

By drafting a rookie and either keeping him on the active roster or stashing him on the practice squad, the 49ers could essentially develop their backup-in-waiting to be their next cost-effective solution as Brock Purdy’s backup in the future.

But, for now, they have a solidified option in Dobbs, who will be the team’s primary backup in 2024, coming at one of the cheaper backup quarterback costs on the market this offseason.