Miami Dolphins Josh Rosen era, why it never arrived

The Combine is here, and that has invited more speculative quarterback chatter concerning the Miami Dolphins. So, where does that leave Josh Rosen?

There’s already been the interminable crying out for Tua Tagovailoa. While more of a pipe dream, there have been rumors about the Dolphins wanting Joe Burrow, who is slated to be the Bengals pick at No. 1.

That didn’t stop the Dolphins from meeting with Burrow at the Combine, however.

Then there’s the hives of Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Jake Fromm, and Jacob Eason loyalists all pounding their fists on the tables for their guy.

The quarterback talk has been like wildfire even since before the 2019 season started when “Tank for Tua” digital rallies and virtual war cries were echoing throughout the Dolphins online community.

Maybe it was over the top.

The bottom line is that there are a lot of talented quarterback prospects in the 2020 Draft, and the Dolphins will select one of them to usher in a new era.

But lest we forget, less than a year ago, the cries were chanting “Chosen Rosen” or “The Chosen One.”

Yes, the demands for a better tomorrow were warranted, and last spring, the hope for better days was placed squarely on the shoulder of Josh Rosen — maybe that’s where the experiment already started to crumble.

Rosen was unceremoniously ousted from the Cardinals after the team stumbled into the first overall pick in 2019’s draft.

Of course, that’s where they drafted Kyler Murray and also when the Dolphins pulled off the subsequent trade for Rosen.

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That trade, which was lauded by fans and analysts alike for the great value, was supposed to be an incredible bargain for a hidden gem that saw his former franchise move in a different direction.

It was supposed to be the Josh Rosen era in Miami.

But 2019 has come and gone, and that isn’t the case.

Ryan Fitzpatrick earned the lion’s share of the starts and snaps last season.

What went wrong?

Did Josh Rosen play worse than expected in practice or the two full games he started? Did Ryan Fitzpatrick overdeliver?

Maybe there are kernels of truth in both of those questions.

Onto 2020, there’s a near certainty that the Dolphins take a quarterback in the first round.

And as much as I hate to admit it, Fitzpatrick isn’t going to play forever. The Dolphins could double-dip on quarterbacks in this year’s draft a la the 2012 Washington Redskins when they took Robert Griffin III in the first and Kirk Cousins in the fourth.

The Dolphins certainly have the resources to burn on an extra, developmental guy they like in the sixth or seventh round, someone like Hawai’i’s Cole McDonald or Arizona’s Khalil Tate.

That last part is a bit of a stretch but not out of the realm of possibility.

With at least one new quarterback on the team, where does that leave Rosen? He’s not going to suddenly supplant Fitzpatrick going into the 2020 season based on the merits of 2019.

But then there’s a rookie in the mix, too.

There’s the argument that the rookie will be groomed and not thrown into the fire immediately. And that’s wise for many of the young quarterbacks entering the league. But if the rookie shows out during training camp, the decision to start him won’t be between him and Rosen.

It’s unfair, but after April’s draft, Rosen will be the low man on the totem pole in the quarterback room.

It’s difficult seeing him continue with Dolphins through 2020.

I said it before.

Josh Rosen got the short end of the stick.

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