The Miami Dolphins passed on their prime opportunity to draft Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft on Thursday night, instead drafting Clemson standout defensive lineman Christian Wilkins with the 13th pick.
Now, the Dolphins hope to address the future of their starting quarterback position by possibly acquiring one in a trade during the second and third days of the draft this weekend.
Miami is the presumed front-runner to acquire Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen.
“We’re investigating all avenues. I’m not going to talk about anything going on,” Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said Thursday. “The draft is still going on, but we’re looking at all options at every position.”
The Cardinals, who drafted Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray with the first pick, were trying to move Rosen in a trade before the draft began, but did not find a suitable partner to meet their high price.
Sports Illustrated reported Thursday that the Washington Redskins (who eventually drafted Haskins with the 15th pick), the New York Giants (who provided one of the more shocking draft picks, taking Duke’s Daniel Jones sixth overall), and the Dolphins did not want to trade a first-round pick for Rosen.
While the NFC East teams acquired new quarterbacks Thursday, the Dolphins and Cardinals seem primed on making a deal for Rosen, who could likely be attained in exchange for a third- or fourth-round pick in 2019 or 2020.
Here are three things the Dolphins should consider with Rosen:
Is Rosen worth the price?
Rosen, the 10th pick in the 2018 draft, signed a four-year deal worth $17.6 million with the Cardinals last year. Arizona has already paid roughly $10.88 million to the former UCLA standout.
If Miami acquired Rosen in a trade, the Dolphins would pay him the remaining $6.24 million in base salary and roster bonuses over the next three seasons. Miami would also have a possibility to exercise a fifth-year option worth $21 million.
Consider this: Miami’s third-round pick this year, the No. 78 pick, could sign a four-year deal worth $3.6 million with a signing bonus of nearly $900,000.
Essentially, the Dolphins could just draft a third-round player — perhaps, a quarterback like West Virginia’s Will Grier or NC State’s Ryan Finley — and keep him for another year while saving about $3 million they could pay Rosen.
If the Dolphins acquire Rosen, it is because they believe the presumed $3 million difference (if traded for a third-round pick) is worth seeing what Rosen can provide to the franchise’s quarterback position.
Does Rosen fit into Miami’s culture?
The Dolphins — led by Grier, but coached by Adam Gase last year – were not enamored with Rosen after meeting with him during the pre-draft process in 2018.
Rosen was valued, but not as much as the Dolphins valued Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold last year.
The Dolphins evaluation may have had some merit: In 13 starts as a rookie, Rosen completed just 55.2% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions for a 66.7 rating.
But why the sudden change of heart?
If the Dolphins are considering a trade for Rosen, it’s because new coach Brian Flores and new offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea believe he could make a difference in Miami’s offense.
And it’s also likely because the Dolphins value Rosen ahead of the remaining quarterback options available after the first round of the draft.
Are there better options available to Miami?
The Dolphins own the No. 48 pick in the second round (16th in the round) and No. 78 pick in the third round (14th in the round) on Friday.
After Murray, Jones and Haskins were drafted in the first round, here are some quarterbacks in the draft that remain:
Missouri’s Drew Lock was a projected first-round pick, and could be drafted early in the second round before Miami’s pick. The Raiders, Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals all pick before the Dolphins in the second round.
Will Grier, who started his college career at UF, could also come off the board as early as the second round.
Finley, Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham, Buffalo’s Tyree Jackson, North Dakota State’s Easton Stick, Washington State’s Gardner Minshew and Boise State’s Brett Rypien are among the best quarterbacks still available.
The Dolphins also hope to be in position to draft a quarterback in the 2020 NFL draft, where Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Georgia’s Jake Fromm could be among the top options next year.
If the Dolphins hope to acquire a quarterback this year, they must consider Rosen’s contract value and where he ranks among the field of remaining 2019 quarterbacks before making a trade with the Cardinals.
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