Dolphins need to start Josh Rosen from Week 1

The Miami Dolphins have nothing to lose this season. Except for a bunch of games.

After years of being one of the more middling, mediocre teams in the league, the Dolphins finally chose a direction. They’ll tank for 2019, finally ridding themselves of bloated contracts handed out to overvalued free agents. However, there is one player worth watching closely throughout the season. Josh Rosen.

Roen was acquired from the Arizona Cardinals for a 2019 second-round and 2020 fifth-round selection. When that move was made by general manager Chris Grier, it allowed for the Dolphins to see if they have a franchise quarterback in the former No. 10 overall pick.

Rosen, 22, remains a top prospect in the game today, someone who could prove to be one to the league’s best quarterbacks in a few years. Last year, Rosen was saddled on a team with a horrendous offensive line and very few weapons, along with a defensive-minded, first-year head coach and two offensive coordinators. Now with the Dolphins, Rosen has a new lease on his career and a chance to make his mark in South Beach.

For Miami, there is no reason not to start playing Rosen from Week 1. The other option is Ryan Fitzpatrick, a journeyman who has no future as the leading man with the Dolphins or any other team. Playing him would be lunacy. The Dolphins have to figure out exactly what they have in Rosen this year, before deciding whether he’s the answer long term, or if there’s a need to take a quarterback with the team’s top pick in 2020.

All of those notions is why head coach Brian Flores’ comments about opening up a competition at the spot are either simple coach-speak or a poor calculation of the situation.

“As far as the quarterback position, like every other position, there’ll be competition there,” Flores said at a Friday press conference. “In that position, we’re looking for leadership, we’re looking for, obviously, accuracy, we’re looking for someone, who, for the most part, can lead the team. And put together successful drives and put us in good position in the run game and the pass game, from a protection standpoint. So there’s a lot that goes into it, it’s a leadership position and there’s going to be some competition at that position for sure.”

In all likelihood, Rosen would need to either get hurt or be a colossal disaster to be the backup. Still, Flores should support him from the jump, let the team know he’s the man and move forward.

This season may be forgettable in the standings for Miami, but for Rosen and the Dolphins’ future, it’s critical.