As the 2020 NFL draft edges ever closer, the quarterback picks become more and more talked about, but what of previously highly touted picks like Josh Rosen?
Players such as Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovaoila, Justin Herbert Jordan Love and Jalen Hurts amongst others were seen in the last few days participating in the NFL combine, allowing the staff of the 32 teams having a look at potential talent.
Miami Dolphins are expected to go and get a quarterback, with many believing Tua Tagovaoila to be the guy they take.
With a new quarterback added to the roster along with the form of 2019 starter Ryan Fitzpatrick towards the end of the season, this leaves us with the question of how this affects Josh Rosen.
Josh Rosen’s turbulent introduction to NFL life
Josh Rosen came into the league as one of the league’s hottest prospects after an impressive college career at UCLA, winning the Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player award amongst other accolades.
He was subsequently taken by the Arizona Cardinals as the 10th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. The season didn’t go quite to plan however, Arizona going 3-13 which gave them the worst record in the league.
Rosen didn’t have anywhere near the impact expected of him, recording 11 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions.
Head coach Steve Wilks was fired as a result of the poor record in 2018 and replaced with Cliff Kingsbury who went out and got the quarterback from Oklahoma Kyler Murray and this spelled the end for Rosen.
Before long Rosen was traded away on the second day of the 2019 draft to the Miami Dolphins. New head coach Brian Flores had the choice between Rosen and new signing Ryan Fitzpatrick as to who would start for the Dolphins.
Rosen got the nod after Fitzpatrick was under centre for the 59-10 and 43-0 losses to the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots respectively.
Rosen started the next three games, but these resulted in losses to both the Dallas Cowboys and the Los Angeles Chargers and Rosen initially started the game against the Washington Redskins.
He was taken off mid-game and replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick and he never got a look back into the team. Josh Rosen’s season would end with just 3 starts, one touchdown pass and five interceptions.
With it being almost two years to the day since Rosen was drafted tenth overall with a lot expected of him, the question now arrives as to whether Rosen is up to it as a capable NFL quarterback.
Sam Darnold and Rosen were the two biggest names coming out of draft week but Lamar Jackson was taken as the 32nd pick and has since won the MVP.
Who knows how Rosen would have done if he was playing for a good head coach and amongst a good roster, something he didn’t get at Arizona and he certainly doesn’t have the best roster at Miami.
But as things stand his chances as an NFL starter look slim. Maybe someone else will take him on and make him realise his potential. He will need a good roster around him, something he has not had since he joined the league.
Rosen has somewhat been a victim of being picked early on as so many quarterbacks get drafted into bad offences and get banged up on the field as a result.
You only have to look at players like Nick Foles and Ryan Tannehill. Foles was a seasonal back up before getting the game time in a good Eagles offense. We all saw in the 2019 season how much better Tannehill played under a good offence in Tennessee rather than the bad offence that surrounded him at the Dolphins.
This is what Rosen needs, a good coach and team around him and one that gives him protection and allows him time to fully develop. He will hope that someone like the Patriots will take a punt on him after Brady retires.
If he stays as a third choice at Miami or a second choice somewhere else, his NFL career will be one of what-ifs.
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