The New England Patriots will be on the road to play against the Minnesota Vikings in their second preseason game. These two teams had joint practices this week, and it featured up-and-down performances by the Pats.
Head coach Mike Vrabel will likely keep a few starters on the sideline, but there are several starters and young guys who will get out there. Drake Maye is the clear QB1, with Joshua Dobbs and Ben Wooldridge competing for the backup role.
When speaking about Doubs, Vrabel called out the veteran and stated he needs to be better. Vrabel said, "He has to be more consistent; ball placement has to be better."
Patriots Friday
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 15, 2025
🚶♂️ Day-before-game walkthru in Minnesota
NOTES: Safety Jaylinn Hawkins on Day 2 of joint practice for defense - "Not one of our best. They got the best of us"...Mike Vrabel on No. 2 QB Joshua Dobbs - "Has to be more consistent; ball placement has to be better."
Mike Vrabel Calls Out Patriots QB Joshua Dobbs
This offseason, New England signed Dobbs to a two-year, $8 million deal that featured $3.8 million guaranteed.
Since Jacoby Brissett left in free agency, New England wanted to add another player in that room to back up Maye, but Dobbs has been inconsistent throughout the summer. There have been several practices where Dobbs has missed targets due to bad accuracy and ball placement issues.
In Wednesday's session, Dobbs went 7-of-13 with two picks per Mark Daniels of MassLive. He ended up bouncing back in Thursday's practice, but this up-and-down play has been a trend this summer.
One position group that hasn't been the best and has led to more problems for Dobbs is the offensive line. They've allowed pressure to consistently get home, and that was the case against the Vikings this week. Regardless of whose back there, no one would be able to thrive with guys wreaking havoc in the backfield.
Nonetheless, that's a part of playing football, and Dobbs needs to navigate that to get better. In his five-year career, he has started games for the Cardinals, Vikings, 49ers, and Titans. Over 23 games, Dobbs has completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,281 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He also added 520 rushing yards and eight scores on the ground.
While he's started in this league and can win a few games if needed, there are areas for improvement, and Vrabel didn't shy away from letting him know that. Saturday's game will give him the chance to redeem himself after going 5-of-12 for 45 yards against the Washington Commanders last week and struggling in practice on Tuesday.