NFL teams in need of a long-term answer at quarterback appear to have an interesting opportunity this offseason. One of 2018’s top quarterback prospects may well be available at a discount rate — both financially and in terms of draft capital — less than a year after being selected.
Nothing has cooled on the Cardinals-Kyler Murray front, leaving Josh Rosen as one of the more intriguing potential trade chips in memory. Kliff Kingsbury in February said Rosen would be the starting quarterback on his first Cardinals team, and while he has not officially changed his stance on this, the odds entering April of Rosen having a second opportunity with the Cards look longer than the likelihood of the UCLA product being traded.
The Giants loom as a possible landing spot. If/when Rosen becomes available, one of the teams that passed on him last year will be interested. Big Blue did not have a consensus on the top quarterback in last year’s draft, but with Eli Manning having recently turned 38 and Dave Gettleman having chosen Saquon Barkley over Sam Darnold 11 months ago, the prospect of a first-round quarterback talent being available at a lower rate has to be somewhat enticing — especially for a Giants team that has numerous needs on defense.
Gettleman traded both Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Eli Apple in the past year and opted against placing the Giants’ franchise tag on Landon Collins. The team has a few surefire starters — Alec Ogletree, Jabrill Peppers, Janoris Jenkins, Dalvin Tomlinson, B.J. Hill — but is lacking talent elsewhere on its first unit. Both of the Giants’ first-round picks could go toward rebuilding their defense. They are not looking to package their Nos. 6 and 17 picks to move up, either.
None of this year’s group of passing prospects has wowed the Giants, who have been up and down on Dwayne Haskins. If Big Blue is dead-set on the Ohio State-honed quarterback, this is a fairly big secret. Gettleman, however, said his Manning successor will need to be a first-round pick. None of this year’s quarterbacks would outrank Rosen as prospects, in the eyes of multiple high-profile evaluators, either. Prior to selecting Barkley, though, the Giants may not have had Rosen as one of the top-three quarterbacks on their board last year.
The Cardinals took Rosen at No. 10 overall, giving up merely third- and fifth-round draft picks to move up five spots last year. The results were not pretty.
Rosen completed 55 percent of his passes, averaged 5.8 yards per attempt and threw 11 touchdown passes compared to 14 interceptions. He finished with a league-worst 26.1 Total QBR. Football Outsiders assessed the 6-foot-4 passer as last year’s worst full-time quarterback, with Rosen’s DVOA and DYAR figures well behind the pack. Arizona, though, employed two offensive coordinators last year and experienced rampant trouble on its offensive line, creating a shaky setup for a rookie quarterback.
It will almost certainly not cost a team a first-round pick to land Rosen this year. A second, or possibly a third, figures to be enough to pry the 2018 prospect away. The Giants hold the No. 37 overall pick but do not have another selection until No. 132; Big Blue’s third-rounder went toward 2018 supplemental draft cornerback Sam Beal. This would complicate a Giants trade for Rosen, with other teams seemingly likely to pursue the low-cost passer as well. With the Cardinals having paid his signing bonus, a team acquiring Rosen would have him for less than $7MM through the 2021 season. That is obviously great value, if a team believes the 22-year-old is a worthwhile starter.
So should the Giants be the team that pulls the trigger for Rosen, or should they focus on one of this year’s rookie QBs? After his rough debut season, do you view him as a legitimate option to be a long-term starter? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.
No, either draft Haskins or trade back for Jones
Restock the defense this draft and go QB next year if they aren’t sold on Haskins.
No draft Haskins or Murray if he falls
Haskins might be he biggest fail since JaMarcus Russell and ask the Raiders how that worked out for them.
What an awful, awful comparison. Might be the WOAT.
Depends on what the Cardinals ask. Wonder if they’d take a 3rd round pick.
If you can get Rosen for anything except for either of the first round picks, jump at it! Use the picks to add OL, DL or WR players. Let Manning start/mentor Rosen for all/part of the season.
Just imagine having UCLA and USC quarterbacks at the two New York teams. Nice press.
Agreed, but I hear the Pats and chargers are interested in Rosen and might give up better than a 3rd.
Only if he can play the Outfield.
OOPS… Wrong Giants….
Incorrect info on the giants draft picks in this article. It says after 37 Giants do not have another pick until 132. But they do, as they have 95 from the Cleveland trade.
Wait until draft day an the price may go up. Buy now, should be cheaper.
If the Cardinals pick Kyler Murray the price will go down since they have no need for Rosen. Teams will give their best offers before the draft since as of right now he is still their QB1
Better quarterbacks coming in 2020 draft.
No guarantee they come out health or that someone doesnt leapfrog them to draft one.
Well geez, that can be said every year.
Their options for this year are clearer though. Draft Murray/Haskins or trade for Rosen. Even if they drafted a QB or traded for Rosen, they still could end up at the top of the draft next year.
The problem is that are always ‘better QBs’ the next year and then you get to that year and they may suck by that point. There are a lot of College QBs that looked great for 1 season or 2 season and ended up as a so-so prospect going into their draft and garbage in the NFL (Matt Leinart). Tua and Goldylox look great right now, but a lot can happen in a season.
Trade 6 to Denver or Miami get other picks and draft lock or Jones and gain picks.
Why waste a pick on Rosen or this years QBs if you aren’t 100% sold?!? Draft other needed positions, milk everything you can out of Manning this year and next while also drafting a top QB in 2020.
Rosen is a bust….so that should answer your question.
Any QB you would have stuck behind that OL of the Cardinals last year would have been a bust. The Giants OL isn’t that much better.
All depends on what they want for him. At most I’d give up a second round pick I would not give up s first round one
Why not? I’d say go for it. If you’re rolling with Manning one last year let Rosen learn the system sitting behind manning then give him the keys next after this one and let manning retire or go to another team. Wouldn’t give up a first rounder for him but for sure a second rounder is fair.
Perfect scenario for the Giants is exactly what you said
There gonna get drew lock not josh Rosen
needs to add 30lbs muscle and rip lines if adderall before games
It doesn’t matter what young QBs you have if your coaches are too inept to develop them. Neither the Cardinals or Giants can grasp that concept though.
If they dont have to give up much, definitely but im not 100% sold on the Cardinals taking Murray with the first pick. I dont think Haskins will be the answer either