Dolphins must leave ‘no stone unturned’ in pursuit of next Marino

The Dolphins have yet to play a regular season game in 2019, but that has not stopped the rumors from circulating, that Miami will be all-in on a quarterback in 2020.

And although some believe it is etched in stone like Moses and his Ten Commandments, I assure you it is not.

After all, Josh Rosen could continue to progress, as he’s done all offseason long. And as he continues to trend upward throughout the summer months, solidifying himself as the 2020 starter this season-would put Miami in a MUCH better situation. But only a fool would fail to see the supporting cast, and wonder if he’s being set up to fail-much like he did in Arizona. 

Miami’s offensive line is bad. Really, really bad. Their defense is a work in progress, and allowed Matt ‘Medicare’ Schaub to lead a 90-yard drive on his first preseason possession. Which is not good, if you’re keeping track at home. And who can forget, Miami has once again hit the reset button. Once again heading into an NFL season with a  rookie head coach and young staff, certain to make mistakes. 

So IS Josh Rosen being given a fair chance to prove he’s the long-term answer?  The metaphorical magic 8-ball says- ‘not likely’. 

In the past, we have seen teams draft a QB, despite having a promising starter already in place. San Francisco drafted Steve Young, despite having Joe Montana. The Chargers drafted Phillip Rivers, after investing several years in Drew Brees. Washington doubled down with RG3 and Kirk Cousins. And who can forget when Kansas City traded up to select a generational talent like Patrick Mahomes, despite having Alex Smith on the roster. 

Each of these situations are unique in their own way. And one would say the supporting cast here in Miami, is less than ideal. But is it necessarily a TERRIBLE idea to draft the #1 QB on the Dolphins’ draft board? Not necessarily. 

Truth is, Miami could use their treasure chest of draft picks to move heaven and earth to get ‘their guy’. The guy, the front office has had their eyes set on for years. One that everyone in the organization believes can turn this once storied franchise into a Super Bowl Contender. That sounds good doesn’t it?

Or maybe Josh Rosen continues to progress, and proves that he has all the intangibles to be ‘the man’ in Miami. Maybe they then turn their focus to the draft’s top pass rushers or offensive line talent in 2020. And if Rosen fails with everything around him perfectly in place, they can then turn their attention to the the ‘Belle of the Ball’ in 2021. Trevor Lawrence. 

In the end, I’m not sure there’s anything Rosen can do this year to change Miami’s fate of drafting one of the top QBs in 2020. And whether that be Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, or the next emerging superstar, history suggests the Dolphins must continue to draft a QB, until they find their next Dan Marino. Because until they do, they will continue to hover around the .500 mark. Worst case, the Dolphins find themselves with two potential franchise QBs, and a valuable trade asset. 

No matter what the outcome, the future looks promising in Miami.  And for the first time in years, should finally fill the void left behind by No.13, so many years ago.

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) while laying next to his wife and newborn in the hospital. But we assure you, he is not Adam Gase.