Five quarterbacks were chosen in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Baker Mayfield became the top overall selection while the Baltimore Ravens snagged Lamar Jackson with the No. 32 and last pick of the opening round.
The Buffalo Bills drafted Josh Allen at No. 7.
Four picks earlier, the New York Jets got Sam Darnold.
Finally, the Arizona Cardinals took Josh Rosen as the No. 10 overall selection.
49ers waived QB Josh Rosen, who now has played for four NFL teams since Arizona drafted him in the first round in 2018. They waived him to claim CB Davontae Harris off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 17, 2021
The first three quarterbacks mentioned are making some headway in their young NFL careers.
Allen led the Bills to the AFC Championship Game and signed a six-year, $258 million extension this season.
Meanwhile, Mayfield led the Browns to their first playoff victory since 1994.
Jackson continues to prove his naysayers wrong after winning league MVP honors in 2019 and winning his first playoff game in four tries.
Unfortunately, Darnold and Rosen got lost in the mix.
The former USC standout is now getting a fresh start with the Carolina Panthers after three sub-par seasons with the Jets.
Likewise, Rosen suited up for three teams in as many seasons and his playing time continues to diminish.
Worst, the former UCLA quarterback was cut by the San Francisco 49ers prior to the 2021 NFL season.
But between the two, Darnold’s path to redemption is certain while that of Rosen isn’t.
Still, it’s interesting to ponder the factors that led to their struggles.
Their once promising careers are either on the brink of ending early or getting a reset.
Is it because they are just not talented enough for the NFL?
Or do they just need the right environment to live up to the hype?
Recipe For Disaster
Rosen joined a Cardinals team that finished 8-8 the season before with the likes of Blaine Gabbert, Matt Barkley, and Drew Stanton at quarterback.
He did manage to play 14 games in his rookie season and collected 2,278 passing yards.
However, he threw 14 interceptions against 11 touchdowns and completed only 55 percent of his passes.
It’s not that the Cardinals were devoid of talent in the skills positions because they had Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, and running back David Johnson.
But poor offensive line play made Rosen uncomfortable in the pocket and eventually second-guess himself.
Some starters like Pro Bowler Mike Iupati and Justin Pugh spent time on injured reserve.
In that case, the patchwork protection for Rosen set him up to fail.
Josen Rosen was sacked 17 times in under 2.5 seconds – most in NFL…
17 sacks essentially before you can 5-step with a hitch… Holy moly
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) March 23, 2019
As per the tweet above, Rosen didn’t have time to firmly plant his feet before making a throw.
That stat doesn’t even reflect the passes that Rosen hurriedly threw because of the collapsing pocket.
Granted that they know where the blitz is coming from, stopping the rush is another matter.
On his part, Rosen should have alerted the offensive line during his pre-snap reads.
But they still could not stop the pressure and make him comfortable.
It seems like Rosen has never gotten over the horrors of his rookie season.
He was benched for Ryan Fitzpatrick in Miami and was cut because of Tua Tagovailoa.
Rubbing more salt to the wound, Arizona drafted Kyler Murray as his replacement.
With Trey Lance having a good preseason, his time in San Francisco was over.
Another Chance For Darnold
While Rosen’s NFL future looks bleak, Darnold just got a new life.
Finally, he is at a place wherein he will have the freedom to throw the deep ball.
That was not the case during his time in New York.
Adam Gase is known for dialing up short passes despite long-yardage situations.
Thus, they often end up turning the ball over despite completing the throw.
Darnold was restricted with what he could do with the talent around him.
It’s tough to win in the NFL by expecting one person to carry the load.
Sadly, that was the situation that Darnold was thrown into.
Lucky for him, he will have weapons all around him at Carolina.
Christian McCaffrey will relieve some pressure from the backfield while D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson field his passes.
Darnold must make the most of his second NFL life.
Otherwise, it won’t be long before his future will be uncertain like that of Rosen.
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