1. Trade for Dolphins QB Josh Rosen
Before anyone has a fit about it, this has nothing to do with Drew Lock.
Again, this has absolutely nothing to do with Drew Lock.
This trade would be about adding the best possible depth the Broncos could have at the quarterback position, and Rosen represents an upgrade over Brett Rypien and certainly has higher upside than Jeff Driskel.
Far too often, NFL teams seem to fear the public opinion when it comes to having quarterback depth, as if they are forcibly swayed by the fan base calling for a backup QB whenever the starter struggles.
Football is not baseball, but there is value to having a good ‘bullpen’ in both sports.
In football, teams prove year after year the value of having a backup quarterback who is capable, whether for better or worse.
Teams that intentionally have a quarterback who is above the age of 30 and is clearly not going to be a full-time starter in the NFL are falling in line with an age-old strategy that I think needs to change.
I am much more inclined to be on board for the idea of having at least two, preferably three, quarterbacks who have some youth and starter upside.
This doesn’t mean you need to have a quarterback competition with three high draft picks at quarterback every year, but QBs are assets and there are not enough teams developing more than one guy properly.
I was a big fan of Josh Rosen coming out of UCLA, and he’s had perhaps the worst possible career trajectory since he came into the NFL.
The Cardinals drafted him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft and let him struggle behind a horrible offensive line and probably the worst all-around roster in the NFL at the time.
After hiring Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals shipped Rosen off to the Miami Dolphins where nobody knew which part of the team — front office or coaching staff — actually wanted him.
The Dolphins certainly didn’t invest in Rosen’s development last season, and now drafted Tua Tagovailoa to be their long-term QB with Ryan Fitzpatrick cemented as his backup.
Rosen is an afterthought in Miami at this point, and some NFL team could wisely take a shot on him, get him in their program, and develop him as a long-term option.
The Broncos could do worse for a ‘quarantine’ QB in 2020.
Rosen still has that upside in him, it will just take a good staff to pull it out. Mike Shula and Pat Shurmur could be excellent mentors and coaches for him.