The Miami Dolphins have no plans to see any more from Josh Rosen this year, and probably ever, so here are five possible landing spots for him in 2020.
The Miami Dolphins entered this season with the perception they would tank to get the No. 1 pick in 2020, but with three wins the “best’ they can do is No. 2 overall in next April’s draft right now. It seemed sure that Josh Rosen would get a significant run at some point, but he has played in just six games and his three starts came before being benched in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick in Week 7.
Fitzpatrick has played reasonably well, so he’s done nothing to deserve being benched. But with two games to go, it’s still worth wondering if and when Rosen might get another look at some point.
On Monday, Dolphins’ head coach Brian Flores essentially said he’s already seen all he needs to see from Rosen:
We will always do what we feel is in the best interests of this team and play the guy that gives us the best chance to win; we feel that’s Ryan. It’s [been] that way for the last eight to 10 weeks…
You can always get more information, but we have what we have [and that’s] practice reps and the game reps he had and his play for [Arizona] a year ago. The most important thing is what we see in practice on a weekly basis.
It’s not that Rosen has looked good on the field this season, with one touchdown pass, five interceptions, 16 sacks taken and a 52.0 passer rating. But he came into the league as a top-10 pick in 2018, with some level of pedigree, and he seems headed for third team in as many NFL seasons in 2020. The Arizona Cardinals of course drafted Kyler Murray No. 1 overall last April, and then traded Rosen to Miami for a second-round pick in this year’s draft and a fifth-round pick in 2020.
With at least two years left on his rookie deal, and a fifth-year option that could make it three, there will be teams out there who think they can bring Rosen into their situation and cultivate a quarterback of the future on the cheap. Simply being in a situation that isn’t a dysfunctional, losing culture would surely do him a lot of good.
Rosen will be available barring something unforeseen, as Miami simply looks to recoup a draft pick or two for him. These five teams could have the most interest in the former first-round pick, on the idea of untapped potential.
5. New England Patriots
The Patriots got a close look at Rosen in one of his appearances this year, and of course the results weren’t good (7-for-18, 97 yards, one interception, three sacks). But depending on how they feel about rookie Jarrett Stidham a possible successor to Tom Brady, giving up a mid-to-late round pick for Rosen might be a consideration.
Assuming Brady returns next year, with retirement or hitting free agency both possible right now, learning under him would be a great situation for Rosen. After what he’s gone through the last two seasons, sitting for a year under the wings of Brady, Josh McDaniels (assuming he doesn’t take a head coaching job) and Bill Belichick seems ideal as a way to regroup.
There should be better opportunities for Rosen to compete for a starting job next year. But in many respects, New England is an ideal landing spot.