There’s no sense in over-analyzing what amounted to a fourth preseason game Sunday in Arizona.

Deebo Samuel was in sunglasses and smiling on the sideline. In the second quarter, George Kittle wrote “Hi Mom!” on his tablet and positioned himself for the cameras so it could be shown on the air. Brock Purdy was in a ballcap and following along with the play sheet.

The 49ers lost to the Cardinals 47-24, finished the season 6-11 and that’s the end of the story.

But you wonder if coach Kyle Shanahan may be regretting leaving Josh Dobbs behind Brandon Allen on the quarterback depth chart most of the season and even starting Allen in Green Bay when Purdy couldn’t play.

Not that the decision made a difference in the grand scheme of things or even on Sunday. But even with a bad lost fumble and two interceptions, Dobbs had the look of someone who could be a viable backup for the 49ers going forward.

The problem? Dobbs signed a one-year contract last offseason and is a free agent. It will be up to Shanahan to sell Dobbs on the idea that being No. 2 for the 49ers in 2025 is a better situation than signing on to start for another potential also-ran that presumably doesn’t have the bounce-back capability of the 49ers.

Dobbs wasn’t anywhere near perfect, with the careless lost sideline fumble more egregious than either of the two interceptions. His first interception took a remarkable catch from Sean Murphy-Bunting when Dobbs and Jauan Jennings weren’t on the same page. The second glanced off the outstretched hands of Ricky Pearsall.

But Dobbs lost Jennings when the wide receiver was baited into an ejection in the first half after a pair of personal fouls following overly enthusiastic blocks while he was 25 yards short of 1,000 on the season. Kittle took a seat in the second quarter and didn’t return. Isaac Guerendo lasted two carries before suffering a knee/ankle injury, leaving journeyman Patrick Taylor Jr. to carry the load.

For much of the game, Dobbs, who was elevated above Allen only in what Shanahan considered “scramble” games, looked comfortable operating the offense to its specifications while using his legs only when necessary.

“I did feel good out there,” Dobbs said. “I felt like I was seeing what the defense was doing pre-snap, post-snap, being able to take advantage of their looks. Hit the big play when it was there and also check it down and let the guys get some run after a catch.”

Dobbs completed 29 of 43 passes for a career-high 326 yards, with touchdown passes of 6 yards to Pearsall and 36 yards to Kyle Jusczcyk. He also scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run. It didn’t look like a scramble drill. It looked like someone who could be a fit for Shanahan’s offense.

Afterward, Shanahan’s praise for Dobbs, who turns 30 later this month, was more faint than forceful.

“I thought Dobbs did a really good job minus the turnovers,” Shanahan said. “You take out those turnovers and I thought he had a hell of a game.”