Dolphins name veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick starting quarterback

Shortly before the end of the final preseason game, head coach Brian Flores announced he would name the starting quarterback after the game ended. The oddsmakers turned out to be correct after all. Veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick is the Dolphins starting quarterback over young prospect Josh Rosen.

The decision to name Fitzpatrick over Rosen flies in the face of Flores’s declaration that the best player would win the starting job. Over the course of the preseason, Rosen performed better than the 15-year veteran, yet the competition ends with Fitzpatrick victorious. One has to wonder if the starting job ever up for grabs to begin with. It seems not. Fitzpatrick performed better early on in practice. Rosen closed the gap quickly, however.

Dolphins Live: Coach Flores meets with the media. https://t.co/fr3vDZSjTQ

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 30, 2019

Flores stated during the press conference that Ryan Fitzpatrick starting was the best decision for this team. The decision was made over the course of the last week. Which means, somehow, Rosen’s performance in week three of preseason meant nothing to Flores. The rookie head coach insists that Rosen is talented, but he isn’t ready yet.

It’s extremely difficult to justify the decision to name Fitzpatrick the starter at this point. Perhaps, in the beginning, it might have been different. But now there’s nothing to do but wait and see how the regular season plays out. Also, prepare for the Dolphins to draft a quarterback in the first round of 2020. Maybe they want a rookie to compete with Rosen next year. If that is the case, however, this was not a smart way to handle the situation.

Whether they draft Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jake Fromm, or someone else, it’s clear that Rosen isn’t viewed as the solution to the quarterback problem. Truly a shame to see.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung