Josh Rosen emerges winner in deal to Miami,
Josh Rosen’s came to an end.
Just more than a full 24 hours after the Cardinals drafted quarterback Kyler Murray first overall last week, the team finally found a trade partner and sent Rosen — their 2018 first-round pick — to the Dolphins. In so doing, they avoid a tense and awkward situation for all parties involved.
The Dolphins sent a second-round pick (62nd overall) to Arizona as well as a fifthround selection in 2020.
Miami and Rosen emerged from the second night of the draft as the winners in this situation. Yes, Arizona receives resolution to a sticky situation, but team officials badly hoped to receive something closer to their original investment for the No. 10 pick of last year’s draft. (To draft Rosen last year, Arizona parted with the No. 15 pick and third- and fifth-round selections).
However, because the Cardinals’ infatuation with Murray became evident ever since team officials first met with him at the NFL scouting combine in February, Arizona had little leverage. Quarterbackneedy squads like the Giants, Redskins and Broncos were content to use their draft picks to land rookies (Daniel Jones, Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock, respectively). And the Dolphins stood firm in their stance that they would not fork over a first-rounder for Rosen.
The Dolphins and Cardinals engaged in discussions the day after the first round and, as afternoon approached, the sides were nearing an agreement, per multiple reports. However, the second round of the draft kicked off with negotiations still ongoing. Miami even traded down from their original second-round pick wait finally (No. 48 overall, which they swapped with New Orleans for the 62nd selection) before finally reaching an agreement with Arizona.
The Cardinals then received that 62nd pick, a value that pales in comparison to what they used to draft Rosen last year. The Dolphins potentially are getting a steal. The UCLA product was regarded as one of the best pure passers in last year’s draft, and multiple talent evaluators told USA TODAY that had he been in this year’s draft, Rosen likely would have ranked as the second-best quarterback behind Murray.
The Cardinals quickly soured on Rosen, but it wasn’t just him. General manager Steve Keim fired coach Steve Wilks after just one year and then hired Kliff Kingsbury, who had been enamored with Murray since trying to recruit him at Texas Tech.
But Arizona’s fickle ways aren’t viewed around the league as an indictment on Rosen and his skill set. Yes, he struggled as a rookie, but the Cardinals’ roster had so many holes that almost any quarterback would have found it hard to succeed. Rosen might simply need time and a better supporting cast to develop into a dynamic quarterback.
The selection of Murray understandably frustrated Rosen. Earlier this offseason, the Cardinals had scoffed at the notion that they would replace him with Murray, and Kingsbury said, “Josh is our guy.” So much for that. Hours after the Cardinals acquired Murray, Rosen, who hadn’t missed a single offseason training session this month, unfollowed the team on social media platforms.
Now, however, Rosen goes to a team where his potential will be appreciated.
Miami could afford him time to better develop because this offseason they signed journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick, who very well could open the season as the starter. In addition to watching and learning from Fitzpatrick, Rosen also will benefit from the tutelage of well-respected quarterback coach Jim Caldwell.
And in another benefit for the Dolphins, they get a quality quarterback at a very affordable price. Not only did they have to give up only a second-rounder for Rosen, but the 22-year-old is still on his rookie contract, and Arizona already has paid his $10 million signing bonus, leaving Miami on the hook for only $6 million over the next three seasons.
If Rosen winds up flourishing, he will meet a long-standing need for an impact franchise quarterback for the Dolphins. If he doesn’t live up to his billing, the cost of the experiment will have been relatively low.