In some ways, it feels like NFL quarterback Josh Rosen is a figment of our imagination.
Was he really on the Arizona Cardinals before Kyler Murray took the reins?
Did he really get a chance with the Miami Dolphins before Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Flores established a competitive culture in South Florida?
These glimpses of Rosen on the field seem like they happened ages prior, but his last appearance in the NFL came for the Dolphins not even two calendar years ago.
The lion’s share of his NFL experience came in his rookie year in Arizona, where he appeared in 14 games.
He started 13 of those contests, and the Cardinals finished with a moribund 3-10 record in those affairs.
He threw for 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2018.
With Miami the following season, he was usurped by Fitzpatrick after starting three games.
The Dolphins lost all three games, and Rosen threw five picks in the six games he played.
As the No. 10 overall selection in the NFL Draft just three years ago, Rosen still has time to turn his career around.
He’s currently on the San Francisco 49ers roster trying to make it back.
Let’s look at the arguments for and against Rosen ever becoming a starter in the NFL again.
Let’s get it 🤙🏻 pic.twitter.com/pXeLkGWHbR
— Josh Rosen (@josh3rosen) September 21, 2019
Rosen Will Start Again
It’s not often that the NFL gives up on pedigree or blue-chip talent.
Heading into the 2018 Draft, there were legitimate debates about whether Rosen, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, or Baker Mayfield would have the best career in the NFL.
It wasn’t crazy to think in April 2018 that Rosen’s body of work in the Pac-12 would translate into the pro game, and that he would be the best option of the bunch.
He doesn’t offer much mobility, but Rosen flashed enough arm talent at UCLA to wet the beak of talent evaluators.
The key to his potential resurgence will be the protection he has in front of him.
Across 20 appearances in the NFL, Rosen has been sacked 61 times.
He’ll need to do a better job of getting the ball out of his hands and developing better pocket awareness, but the jury is still out on him as an NFL passer due to the lack of protection he has received.
— Josh Rosen (@josh3rosen) May 23, 2019
Rosen Will Not Start Again
Even though a lot of factors were out of his control in Arizona and Miami, it’s unlikely Rosen will ever see the light of day as a starter in the NFL again.
Think about the current team he finds himself on in San Francisco.
The 49ers just spent the third overall pick in this year’s draft on quarterback Trey Lance, after making the Super Bowl with incumbent starter Jimmy Garoppolo during the 2019 season.
For whatever reason, franchises are ready to move on from winning, productive NFL starters at the drop of a hat in 2021.
It also seems like there are a fresh batch of rookies to come in and start right away each and every year, which blocks Rosen’s path back to relevancy.
Verdict: It’s Unlikely Rosen Will Be An NFL Starter Again
It’s unfortunate that Rosen didn’t have many positive moments during his opportunities to start, but it doesn’t seem like a team will be willing to hand him the keys to the car anytime soon.
There are more established veterans who have shown more than he has (think Marcus Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater types) that are much less of a gamble than Rosen.
It’s possible he hangs around the league as a backup for a decade or more, but unless there is an injury to a starter in front of him, he won’t get the chance to showcase his ability for an extended time in the near future.
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