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Could Josh Rosen lead the Dolphins to the first-overall pick?

For the second straight year, the 22-year old QB could lead his team to the first-overall pick but is he to blame?

Washington Redskins v Miami Dolphins Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

For many years, the Miami Dolphins and their fan base suffered through one 7-9 season after another. So, when Stephen Ross and Chris Grier addressed the media back in January, they said they would do ‘‘whatever it takes’ to turn this once historic franchise around—even if that meant suffering through a historically bad season to get there.

Well, here we are.

Yesterday, the Dolphins lost to the Redskins 16-17, on a failed two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter. To some, it was the perfect ending to what many were calling the ‘ Tank for Tua’ Bowl. To others, it was another devastating loss that would surely put the seal on another losing season in Miami. A season that seemed like it could be different with a new coaching staff in place. And a young, promising QB, that at one time, looked to be one of the top prospects in all of football.

Unfortunately, neither have been as advertised early on in 2019.

And despite many believing the Dolphins front office is indeed ‘tanking’, the team tried everything they could to win on Sunday.

After all, Miami tried everything they could to gain the upper hand. There were gadget plays, fake punts, onside kicks, and everything in between. Any other season they would be praised for this valiant effort, but not today.

Most importantly, Miami’s once promising QB looked pedestrian and that’s being nice.

Rosen finished Sunday’s game on the sideline, after being benched in favor of 36-year old Ryan Fitzpatrick. Rosen finished the day 15/25 for 85 yards and 2 interceptions. That’s not good and doesn’t exactly instill faith into the front office and coaching staff. But Brian Flores, who named Rosen the starter for the remainder of the season, will not deter from that plan.

“I think Josh (Rosen) has done a good job. I think today he wasn’t having a good day, and I think we’re always going to do what we feel is best for the team and today that was ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) going in in the fourth quarter. Josh is the starter, I would say. But as this thing – as we continue to move along – there’s always competition. I mean I think everyone needs to feel that. I need to feel that. The players need to feel that. I think we know ‘Fitz’ was ready to go in today. I think he played well. I think everyone could see that. We need players who are ready to go in and play; but as far as starting, not starting – I think today, it was just a move we felt like we needed to make. It’s no different than if a back’s not going, we put another back in or if a receiver is not going, we put another receiver in. I know it’s ‘the’ position and I understand that, but I think we’ll – Josh will continue to be the starter, and, again, if we feel like we need a spark and ‘Fitz’ has to go in, we’ll continue to do that.”

But now we must address the elephant in the room, which is that Miami could indeed be inline for the first-overall pick. A pick that Rosen helped Arizona acquire one year prior. Which begs the question, is he the perfect ‘tank commander’ for the Dolphins pursuit of Alabama QB, Tua Tagovailoa?

No, I don’t think one player is to blame for a team’s success or failures, that would be ignorant. But when has a player been traded from one team to another, with the first-overall pick in hand?

Seriously, has it ever happened? Because I paged through the history books like Samuel Tarly at The Citadel, and have not found any evidence that it’s been done before.

And again, I don’t blame Rosen.

He went from one of the worst offensive lines in football to an even worse offensive line. His supporting cast isn’t necessarily godly either. But good QBs, NFL caliber QBs, would show more than Rosen has over his three starts in 2019. Wouldn’t they?

Rosen will have 11 games to prove to this coaching staff and front office, that he is the answer in Miami. Regardless of what happens, I see no reason why he shouldn’t be on the roster in 2020, to compete with whichever QB miami selects.

But when the dust settles, the Dolphins will be drafting a QB in the first-round. And if everything goes according to plan, it will be the guy many believe to be a once in a generation talent.

With the first-pick in the 2020 draft, the Miami Dolphins select...