Josh Dobbs has not gotten much work in NFL training camp since signing Aug. 9 with the Detroit Lions after Teddy Bridgewater's retirement, but Lions coach Dan Campbell said Dobbs will start the Lions' preseason game Saturday, Aug. 22, against the Washington Commanders.
The plan, Campbell said Thursday in Allen Park, is for Dobbs and undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer to get about equal reps in the game.
Starting quarterback Jared Goff will not play Saturday, Campbell said. Goff has not played in the preseason since 2022.
Altmyer has taken the bulk of the backup reps this summer since Bridgewater unexpectedly retired at the start of camp.
The Lions signed Dobbs on Aug. 9, but he played just three second-quarter series in last week's exhibition loss to
the Cincinnati Bengals and has taken only a sprinkling of reps in team drills this week.
Campbell said the competition for the backup job is still ongoing between Altymer and Dobbs.
Altmyer completed 13 of 22 passes for 130 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and a fumble against the Commanders.
Dobbs, 31, has played for nine teams in 10 NFL seasons and is on his second stint with the Lions and third with first-year Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Dobbs went 1-7 as starter for Petzing with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 and the two also worked together with one season for the Cleveland Browns..
"Look, Dobbs is a bright guy," Campbell explained of why Dobbs has had limited reps so far. "He’s played in this league, but also, man, just making sure we got him up to speed, being true to that. And also, Luke’s a young player but he’s promising and getting him, trying to soak him with reps, so it was just kind of a little bit of that. But we’ll get a look at Dobbs here and let him go."
Campbell said he was pleased with the work the rest of his starters got in padded practices this week, but has not made a decision yet on which starters he'll hold out of Saturday's game.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Josh Dobbs to start at QB for Lions in preseason game vs Commanders
