Ryan Fitzpatrick will start for Dolphins over former Cardinals QB Josh Rosen
Aug 29, 2019, 8:07 PM | Updated: 8:40 pm
(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
The Miami Dolphins had a quarterback battle throughout training camp between veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick and former Arizona Cardinals QB Josh Rosen, and that competition has now ended.
The Dolphins named Fitzpatrick the starter, the team announced on Thursday.
Rosen will likely be the backup to Fitzpatrick, who was named the starter after 14 seasons of NFL experience with the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets and Buccaneers. Fitzpatrick last year started seven games and played eight total for Tampa Bay, registering a 66.7% completion percentage and 100.4 passer rate, both career-highs.
During the preseason, Rosen and Fitzpatrick each played three games. Rosen completed 28 of 45 pass attempts (62.2%), throwing for 352 yards with no touchdowns with one interception. Fitzpatrick completed 17 of 32 pass attempts (53.1%) for 166 yards, a touchdown and no picks.
Rosen, entering his second season in the NFL, was traded this offseason for a second-round pick and a 2020 fifth-round pick. He had a poor rookie year for a Cardinals team that struggled top to bottom, finished 3-13 and had a coaching change after just one year under Steve Wilks. In 2018, Rosen took over early-on for starting QB Sam Bradford and went on to pass for 2,278 yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with a 66.7 passer rating in 14 games.
Now with Miami head coach Brian Flores, offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea and assistant head coach/quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell, Rosen finds himself in new scenery. Some have suggested Rosen’s performance last year can be largely blamed on a beleaguered Cardinals offensive line that underwent changes this offseason, along with the turmoil of Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy being fired mid-season.
The Cardinals originally acquired Rosen by trading up to draft him 10th overall in 2018. A product of UCLA, Rosen played 11 games in his junior season and passed for 3,756 yards with 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
The Dolphins open the season on Sept. 8 at home against the Ravens, followed by a home game against the Patriots and a road game at the Cowboys.
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