Earlier this offseason, Dobbs had signed up with the San Francisco 49ers, set to play backup to Brock Purdy.

This move was speculated to be an unusual one, to which Dobbs opened up about during an appearance on The Adam Schefter Podcast.

Talking to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Dobbs emphasized the importance of a consistent front office and coaching staff.

According to him, a team that prioritizes QB development was a deciding factor. The 49ers, in Dobbs’ view, met all these requirements.

“So when free agency came, the opportunities that were presented — the biggest thing that I wanted, as I said, was to get to a place that has a consistent front office, consistent coaching staff, and does a really good job of QB development, and have an opportunity to go through a full offseason in one scheme,” he said. “Get in there in April, and even though I’m still learning, and it will be learning a new offense, but it’s an offense that’s obviously very prominent throughout the league.

“And so to be able to get there in April and be around some tremendous coaches and learn the offense from the bare bones of it, and throw routes on air, and build those interpersonal opportunities with teammates. And then be able to go into the season and whatever the role looks like in the room — obviously, Brock is balling, and what they did, coming up two times short in the Super Bowl the last four years is amazing. But to be a part of that.

Aside from the consistency, Dobbs found another reason to look forward to his time with the 49ers Brock Purdy.

He expressed immense respect for his counterpart, excited about the opportunity to work with him. “At the end of the day, he wins football games and he plays efficient football”, Dobbs said. “That’s all you can ask for. So that’s what I’m most excited about, just being able to obviously provide my perspective on what I’ve learned throughout the league and be able to assume whatever role that looks like this upcoming year. But to be around that and that coaching and that type of player and that type of room and that consistency, I think it’d be really good for me, and I’m excited to see what I’ll be able to add and help the team with for this upcoming year.”

Josh Dobbs: Will be really good for me to be around Brock Purdy, 49ers coaches. https://t.co/2hsZLiyHm9

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 2, 2024

If things go as per the 49ers’ plan, Dobbs won’t be thrust into the starting role anytime soon.

However, the offseason will provide him ample time to gel with the team, making him a reliable backup if the situation demands.

Before signing with the 49ers, Josh Dobbs played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers.

His skills caught the attention of the Pittsburgh Steelers, resulting in his selection in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft.

His career statistics until 2023, are impressive and promising with 502 passing attempts and a 62.2% completion percentage.

His record also registers 15 touchdowns, 13 intercepts, and 2,920 passing yards, besides boasting of 496 rushing yards and securing 6 rushing touchdowns.

3 sleeper prospects 49ers must target in 2024 NFL Draft

The 49ers could get a legacy player with this sleeper pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

If you’re a team like the San Francisco 49ers, luckily, you don’t have a lot of pressing needs. Which is a good thing considering they’re picking with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That’s, of course, because of the 49ers winning the NFC Championship and then playing in the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. So, if you’re San Francisco now, you’re looking to just boost your roster with hopes of walking away with the Lombardi Trophy next year instead of just being the runner-up.

Again, looking at the 49ers, there’s not a lot of necessarily pressing needs. They were able to make some much-needed additions to their team through free agency. This draft could be more about adding depth to certain positions, drafting who they feel are the best available players at their positions in the draft order.

However, the 49ers do have a few question marks, particularly on their offensive line and at secondary. At cornerback, San Francisco has three players heading into the final year of their deals. Plus, there will need to be a replacement for the now New York Jet Isaiah Oliver. And then there’s the offensive line, where the 49ers could be looking ahead toward the future with left tackle Trent Williams’ eventual replacement.

Those, however, just feel like needs. There are a few more positions that could surprise people. Here are three sleeper picks for the 49ers in the 2024 NFL Draft:

Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

With still no clear answers on the contract situation between the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk, the team could surprise everyone and make their intentions clear by drafting a wide receiver with their first-round pick. That makes former Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman the first sleeper pick for the 49ers.

The 49ers could be stalling on extending Aiyuk, waiting to see what’s available in the draft before they make their decision. Aiyuk is seeking what he feels is “fair,” which at market value price would be around four years, $24 million, per Spotrac. That’s a hefty salary for a receiver, even if he is one of the best in the NFL. As talented as their roster is already offensively, they could choose to move on from him, trade him, and find their next receiver in Coleman.

Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss

There’s no need for a Christian McCaffrey replacement, but having a reliable RB2 might be beneficial. McCaffrey ran for a league-leading 1,459 yards last season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan utilizes the running back position just about as much or more than any coach in the league. With that said, you run the risk of injury to McCaffrey, who had his fair share last season but only missed one game. He had 272 carries last season. It’s unlikely McCaffrey can continue to carry the ball 272 times a season like he did last year, though.

Elijah Mitchell, McCaffrey’s backup, had 75 carries for 281 yards last season. Nothing against Mitchell, but Frank Gore Jr. could perhaps do better and become a nice complement to McCaffrey.

Gore fits into the 49ers for multiple reasons. The obvious is that he’s a legacy pick as his father, Frank Gore Sr., was with the 49ers for the first 10 years of his career. Secondly, Gore can not only run but proved he was a valuable pass-catcher in college, having 75 receptions for 692 yards and four touchdowns, per Sports-Reference. 49ers fans would probably welcome this pick.

Payton Wilson, LB, NC State

The 49ers suffered a massive loss in the Super Bowl when linebacker Dre Greenlaw tore his Achilles tendon during the second quarter on a non-contact situation while running back onto the field. While the 26-year-old is expected back next season, the 49ers could still need some help at linebacker, being unsure when exactly he could return. That makes Payton Wilson an interesting sleeper pick for San Francisco.

It’s likely that Wilson won’t last long in the second round, so the 49ers would have to move up from their second-round No. 63 overall pick. Adding Wilson would help ease Greenlaw back into the season at a good pace, not rushing him. Plus, another 49ers linebacker, Fred Warner, has just three years left on his deal — could this be his eventual replacement? The 49ers can’t pay everybody, especially with Brock Purdy likely to be paid sooner rather than later. Wilson, with his talents, feels like one of the safer picks of the entire draft, even with his past injuries.