Report: Cardinals will sit QB Josh Rosen against Broncos on Thursday
Aug 29, 2018, 2:34 PM
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen (3) warms up prior to an preseason NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Arizona Cardinals will hold rookie quarterback Josh Rosen out of the team’s preseason finale Thursday against the Denver Broncos, a team source told NFL Network’s Steve Wyche.
Rosen suffered a thumb injury on Aug. 20 that led to swelling and kept him out of the team’s third preseason game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.
He had returned to practice and was seen throwing the ball Tuesday, eight days after hitting his hand on a teammate’s helmet. Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks, however, said he wanted to remain cautious with Rosen despite wanting to give the rookie more live-game experience.
Wilks said it would be a game-time decision whether Arizona would play Rosen on Thursday night at University of Phoenix Stadium.
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“He looked well,” Wilks said after Rosen practiced Tuesday. “I thought he threw the ball well. He didn’t have a problem as far as taking it under center, the snap.
“I thought his execution was on point. It’s still up in the air whether or not I want to play him. I want him to go through the week and see how he feels, and I’ll make that decision on gameday.”
The decision to scratch Rosen will open up additional playing time for fellow backups Mike Glennon and Chad Kanoff.
It is unknown whether starter Sam Bradford, who Rosen will presumably back up, will play against the Broncos. The Cardinals indicated they might have seen enough from their known commodities by resting receiver Larry Fitzgerald and running back David Johnson last Sunday.
Rosen’s preseason will end with the quarterback playing in two games and completing 16-of-29 passes (55 percent) for 148 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions.
His debut preseason outing against the San Diego Chargers saw Rosen struggle to find a rhythm behind an offensive line that had issues snapping the ball to him and then keep him upright.
The 10th overall pick out of UCLA in the 2018 draft recovered in the second preseason outing against the New Orleans Saints, completing 10-of-16 passes for 107 yards, including a touchdown strike to fellow rookie Christian Kirk.
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