The Dolphins might be trying to Tank for Tua, but Josh Rosen gets the next 12 games to show the team he is the quarterback of the present and future.
Dolphins coach Brian Flores announced Wednesday that Rosen has the starting job for the rest of this season.
It is a tryout of sorts, whether the Dolphins call it that or not.
“I don’t think about [the future] too much, but I’m aware of it and the way that I’m sort of approaching this year is I feel like I’m really just trying out for the team,” Rosen said Wednesday, via Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post. “I feel like I’m auditioning, and I’m trying to put my best foot forward and prove to everyone upstairs and coach Flo and Mr. [General Manager Chris] Grier that I’m the man moving forward. . . .I’m excited to hopefully prove over these next 12 more weeks that I’m their guy moving forward.”
Rosen has no guarantees beyond this season, but what else is new? He was the 10th overall choice of the Cardinals in 2018 before being traded to Miami after Arizona drafted Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick this spring.
Everyone expects the Dolphins to target Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the 2020 draft.
“I don’t know,” Rosen said when asked if he could change the Dolphins’ mind. “Maybe. If I play well enough over these 12 [games], hopefully they’ll make the decision. I mean, technically, it’s never over, essentially. But it depends. It could be year seven, after six good years, and they could be like ‘Yeah, we’re done with you.’”
Rosen has yet to have much NFL success, not that he’s had much chance, playing for two of the league’s worst teams. He is 3-12 as a starter, getting the Cardinals their three victories last season.
He will make his third start for the Dolphins on Sunday.
“I like where Josh is,” Flores said. “I think he’s improving on a week-to-week basis. I think he’s a young, talented player, and I think he needs to get in there and develop and get reps and just improve.”