Rosen could get another shot as Dolphins starter. Here’s when it makes the most sense.
Ryan Fitzpatrick remains the Dolphins’ starting quarterback, but Brian Flores on Wednesday refused to rule out making another change.
And it’s smart. He has been burned already for such a sweeping pronouncement.
Flores said on Oct. 9 that Josh Rosen would be the starter for the rest of the season, only to reverse course a week later by reinserting Fitzpatrick, who has held the job ever since.
So when a reporter asked Flores on Wednesday if he sees a scenario, short of injury, that Rosen starts another game this year for the Dolphins, the Dolphins coach chose his words carefully.
“I don’t have a crystal ball,” he answered. “Anything can happen from that standpoint. Fitz has done a good job. Rosen’s involved in practice. You guys obviously don’t see that but he’s definitely been making some strides. To sit here and say there will be one guy the whole way, I’ve done that before and I was wrong then. You just never know.”
Fitzpatrick has led the Dolphins to their only two wins of the season, but he hasn’t exactly been great. He has as many touchdowns as interceptions and is still the league’s third-lowest-rated passer (79.9).
But Rosen has been worse. He has completed just 53.2 percent of his passes for one touchdown and five picks in a Dolphins uniform.
So if Rosen does play again this season, when would it be — and under what scenario? Injury, of course, would force the Dolphins’ hand. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been dealing with an issue with his throwing shoulder, and was limited in practice Wednesday.
Beyond that? It won’t be this week. And unless Fitzpatrick is terrible Sunday against the Browns, probably not next.
But Flores would have long-term incentive to put his young quarterback back in the lineup beginning Dec. 8. That’s the start of a three-game stretch that will go a long way in determining Miami’s draft positioning. The Dolphins play the Jets, Giants and Bengals in consecutive weeks. They, along with the Dolphins and the Redskins, would pick in the top five, if the season ended today.
And Flores, whether intentionally or not, might have begun making the case Wednesday to return to Rosen as Miami’s starter down the stretch.
“Josh needs to try to improve every day,” Flores said. “Try to get better on a daily basis. Get the ball out on time, get the ball out quickly, game management. Just overall. I think he is improving and we’ll see how it goes.”
▪ With Mark Walton cut and Kenyan Drake on the Cardinals, the Dolphins are left with the least accomplished running backs in recent memory: Kalen Ballage, De’Lance Turner, Myles Gaskin and Patrick Laird.
Somehow, the Dolphins will have to figure out a way to get some sort of production from that group to remain competitive over the season’s final six weeks.
“Those are the guys in the room,” Flores said. “That’s what it’s been. We’ve been without Mark for the last couple of weeks, and we just need to continue doing what we’ve been doing the last two weeks. Those guys have to step up. That’s really what it boils down to.”
▪ Despite leaving the Bills game with a knee injury, Dolphins tackle Julien Davenport practiced on a limited basis Wednesday. defensive back Ken Webster (ankle) was also limited, but that’s practice since he missed the past three games. Taco Charlton (elbow) and Raekwon McMillan (knee) were also held out of parts of practice Wednesday.
This story was originally published November 20, 2019 at 1:04 PM.
