Minnesota acquired Joshua Dobbs and a conditional 2024…

Minnesota made the trade hours before the 2023 deadline because Kirk Cousins had torn his Achilles two days earlier and the Vikings needed an experienced quarterback immediately. The team sent Arizona a 2024 sixth-round pick for Joshua Dobbs and a conditional seventh-round selection. Dobbs had started eight games for the Cardinals that season, so he arrived with fresh experience despite having almost no time to learn Minnesota’s offense.

The first two weeks produced one of the season’s best stories. Dobbs entered the Atlanta game after Jaren Hall was injured, despite barely knowing the playbook, and led a dramatic comeback victory. He followed with another win over New Orleans. The run did not last. Dobbs finished his Vikings stint completing 95 of 151 passes for 895 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions, with his efficiency declining as defenses adjusted. Minnesota eventually turned back to Nick Mullens.

The trade still produced another piece. The conditional seventh became pick No. 230, which Minnesota used on Wake Forest lineman Michael Jurgens. He appeared in three games as a rookie and then 15 games in 2025, making three starts at center and seeing relief work when injuries struck. Jurgens has not become a full-time starter, but he gives the Vikings continuing depth from what was originally the smaller side of the exchange.

Arizona received a sixth-round pick and moved on from a quarterback it was unlikely to retain after Kyler Murray returned. That is a reasonable outcome for the Cardinals and keeps their grade from falling too low.

The original A-/C- split overstated how much Minnesota actually received from Dobbs. The Vikings did get two important wins, emergency competence and a useful young lineman, which is a strong return for a sixth-rounder. A B for Minnesota and C for Arizona is more proportionate. Minnesota wins because the transaction helped immediately and still left a roster asset behind.