After a second lopsided loss to start the season, the Miami Dolphins are ready to turn to Josh Rosen.
They’ve played two good teams in the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots, but the Miami Dolphins have now been outscored 102-10 to start the 2019 campaign. So one early plan is being reassessed, with Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reporting the Dolphins are considering going with Josh Rosen as their starting quarterback next week against the Dallas Cowboys.
Ryan Fitzpatrick won the starting job for Miami coming out of training camp, as the coaching staff said Rosen didn’t quite know the offense yet. But after Fitzpatrick threw for 89 yards with three interceptions in a shutout loss to the Patriots on Sunday, they’ve apparently seen enough of him and know there is no lingering “Fitzmagic.” Rosen played on Sunday, completing seven of 18 passes for 97 yards with an interception while taking three sacks.
Rosen was drafted 10th overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018, then he had a dismal rookie season that helped give them the No.1 pick in this year’s draft. Arizona took Kyler Murray, and traded Rosen to the Dolphins.
Miami has lingered in the mediocre middle ground for years, never bad enough to get a top quarterback prospect (2008, when they had the No. 1 pick aside) and only rarely popping up to make the playoffs. So they can’t really be blamed for trying to tear it down and rebuild, under a new head coach, with whatever label is convenient to give it looking toward the 2020 draft (“Tank for Tua”).
Even if he doesn’t take over in Week 3, Rosen will start games for the Dolphins this season. He’ll be walking into another rough situation though, with some top talent on Miami’s roster already having been traded away and the real possibility there’s more to come.
No matter what the end game is, keeping him as their quarterback of the future or moving forward with someone they draft next spring, there’s no benefit for the Dolphins to keep Rosen on the bench. Finally, those in position to make that decision are seeing that light.