According to new Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, the preseason performance of quarterback Josh Rosen has complicated his plans for the position. It shouldn’t have.
Flores has a simple decision and the only thing stopping him from making it is fear of how his first year with the Dolphins will be perceived and how it might affect his future job security. He doesn’t want to be a one-and-done head coach like Rosen’s former commander, Steve Wilks in Arizona.
Brian Flores on Josh Rosen: “He played well. That makes my decision harder.” #dolphins@5ReasonsSports
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) August 23, 2019
But that wasn’t Rosen’s fault. It was the Cardinals brass who wanted to bring in an offensive mind like Kliff Kingsbury. Wilks was the wrong guy at the wrong time in the wrong place. Flores wasn’t brought in to go toe-to-toe with Sean McVay. He was brought in to overtake Bill Belichick.
It’s not going to happen this season. The safe bet is to start Ryan Fitzpatrick, because you know what you’re going to get. If everything goes right, you win eight games. Rosen is a wild card. We don’t know his ceiling, but there’s a reason he was a first-round pick in 2018. If he’d come out in 2019, he would have still been a first-round selection.
If I were the #Dolphins, I would start and evaluate Josh Rosen as the starter all season.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) August 23, 2019
If Flores is going to stick in Miami, he needs to go ahead and hitch his wagon to Rosen now.
Thursday night, Rosen was sharp, finishing 5-for-7 for 59 yards and adding four rushes for 23 yards. He led two touchdown drives in the game.
“(Rosen) played well,” Flores told the Palm Beach Post after the game. “And that makes the decision harder. I think that’s pretty clear and evident. But again, there are other things at play here.”
Brian Flores on Josh Rosen: “He played well. That makes my decision harder.” #dolphins@5ReasonsSports
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) August 23, 2019
What are the other factors could there be? Is there any chance the team wins long term with Fitzpatrick? The very question is ridiculous. Of course the Harvard-educated, savvy veteran had a leg up on Rosen early. There’s no way he wouldn’t. But if Flores and the Dolphins will have any lasting success, and if the head coach wants to keep his job past two seasons, hand the keys to Rosen and get out of his way.
