By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

It’s been 20 years since Dan Marino retired and over that span of time the Miami Dolphins have gone through more quarterbacks than there are characters in the Avengers.

Names like Daunte Culpepper, Jay Fiedler, and Ryan Tannehill we’re all supposed to help lead the franchise back to its glory days, but all three, among many others, had their Dolphins’ careers turned into wisps of ash.

After giving up a second-round pick in this year’s draft, and a fifth-round pick in next year’s, you can now add Josh Rosen to the first part of that list.

From Miami’s vantage point, I like the trade. Opinions were pretty high of Rosen coming out of UCLA last year, with many analysts predicting he would be the best of last year’s quarterback class.

Obviously, he didn’t have the level of success that many of his counterparts (Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, and Lamar Jackson) experienced last season, but he also had the least amount of talent around him. To judge him based solely on his struggles last year is a bit unfair.

There wasn’t a quarterback in this year’s draft graded as highly as Rosen was and nobody has any idea what may transpire between now and next year’s draft; if you think you have an opportunity to acquire your franchise quarterback, especially without giving up much in the process, you make the trade and live with the outcome.

It was clear to everyone that Rosen wasn’t in the Arizona Cardinals plans once they brought in Kliff Kingsbury to coach. He didn’t just need a change of scenery, but Rosen needed a place where he would be given an opportunity. I have to imagine from his perspective, he’s thrilled to be in Miami.

For one, he has the NFL’s version of a human rollercoaster, Ryan Fitzpatrick, in front of him; up one second, down the next. Even if the coaching staff decides to go with Fitzpatrick to start the season, which I imagine is probably 50/50 right now, Rosen will still have a better opportunity to learn from and watch the journeyman quarterback play than he would have in Arizona.

If Rosen does start, which is where I’d put my money, Fitzpatrick’s off the field guidance will be valuable.

Rosen is also joining the Dolphins as they embark on a fresh start themselves. Along with first year coach, Brian Flores, the newly acquired quarterback will be working with Jim Caldwell, the Dolphins Asst. Head Coach/QB Coach.

Say what you will about Caldwell’s head coaching career, he’s been very successful in the past with the same dual roles he currently serves in Miami.

Plus, and this is a big difference between Miami and Arizona, Rosen will actually have some talent around him on the field. The Cardinals offensive line was so bad last year David Carr thought he was watching “30 for 30” on his rookie season.

I have no idea if this decision will work out for both the Dolphins and Josh Rosen, but as I mentioned, I like move. For a franchise that has searched the better part of two decades for a quarterback they can depend on, they may have found one.

Only time will tell if Josh Rosen will be Miami’s “Tony Stark”, a strong foundation on which ten years of success will be built upon. Or if three years from now, at the snap of a finger, his Dolphin career, like many before him, will be turned into ash.