Josh Rosen - Pro Football Rumors

Trade Rumors: Cardinals, Armstead, Haskins

April 23rd, 2019 at 8:29pm CST by Rory Parks

The Seahawks and Chiefs agreed to a blockbuster trade earlier today that will send Frank Clark to Kansas City. And as Albert Breer of SI.com writes, the veteran trade market is expected to remain hot this week. Breer says that rival clubs are “keeping an eye” on Cardinals‘ DL Robert Nkemdiche, and given that Nkemdiche suffered a torn ACL in December, it’s possible that he could be had for minimal compensation. He has battled injuries throughout his career and has not really lived up to his potential when on the field, but as a former first-round pick who won’t turn 25 until the regular season starts, it makes sense that he would draw some interest. He did post 4.5 sacks in 10 games (six starts) last year.

Now for more trade rumblings from around the league:

Assuming the Cardinals draft Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen expects the club to be patient with a Josh Rosen trade (Twitter link). If they cannot get fair value for Rosen prior to the draft, the Cards could wait until after a few signal-callers come off the board and QB-needy teams start to get a little anxious. We heard earlier today that Arizona is still undecided as to what it will do with the first pick in the draft, but if the Cardinals don’t nab Murray, it would be a major surprise.
Breer writes that 49ers‘ DE Arik Armstead is also expected to draw some trade interest, though he remains in San Francisco’s plans. Raiders‘ DT Justin Ellis is also said to be available, while Cowboys WR Allen Hurns is the best wideout that could be had via trade [SOURCE LINK].
In a separate piece, Breer writes that rival clubs are monitoring Jaguars LB Telvin Smith and Broncos CB Chris Harris Jr. as potential trade targets, though neither player is on the trade block just yet.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports continues to hear that the Lions and Jets are interested in trading down from their current first-round slots, and he sees the Falcons as a potential partner for Detroit (Twitter link). Interestingly, Breer hears the same [SOURCE LINK]. Clemson DT Christian Wilkins could be the target if Atlanta wants to move up, though Breer says the team has been “nosing around” offensive linemen as well as defensive linemen.
As La Canfora writes in a separate piece, the Redskins could be the Jets‘ trade partner if Washington feels it needs to trade up to land Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins. One way or another, JLC believes the Redskins will come away from the draft with Haskins in tow. This is at least the second time La Canfora has written about a potential deal between Washington and New York.
The Chargers are open to trading down from the No. 28 overall pick in Thursday’s draft, per the team’s official website. But given that there is a lot of depth in this draft and not many obvious first-round talents, GM Tom Telesco could find it difficult to execute such a deal.

Latest On Cardinals, Josh Rosen

April 23rd, 2019 at 12:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen could be displaced by the selection of Kyler Murray on Thursday, but its anyone’s guess as to what will actually happen. There’s no consistent word on what the Cardinals will do at No. 1 overall, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears and the club has not made any recent trade calls centered around Rosen.

Every week, there seems to be a new contender (or, another team dropping out) of the Rosen market. Early on, the Giants seemed to have their sights set on Rosen as an heir to Eli Manning. Then, the Redskins were heavily connected to the UCLA product, but they’ve since cooled on him. The latest word is that the Dolphins have done more homework on Rosen than any other team in the league, which may make them the leader in the clubhouse.

Still, it’s not clear whether any club will offer more than a third-round pick for last year’s No. 10 overall selection. It’s also not clear whether Arizona is willing to take pennies on the dollar for the young QB.

Latest On Dolphins, Josh Rosen

April 22nd, 2019 at 12:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins have spent more time researching Josh Rosen than any other team in the league in recent weeks, Peter King of NBC Sports hears. That could be a sign that the Dolphins are a serious suitor for Rosen as the draft draws near.

Rosen, last year’s No. 10 overall pick, could be up for grabs if the Cardinals follow through on taking Kyler Murray No. 1 overall on Thursday. Multiple QB-needy teams have been connected to the UCLA product, but, so far, no one sounds willing to give up a first or second rounder. The Redskins, once thought to be a logical frontrunner for his services, appear to have cooled on him, but the Dolphins would be a sensible fit.

The Dolphins inked Ryan Fitzpatrick to be their QB in March, but he’s not a long-term solution for the position. In theory, the Dolphins could select their QB of the future at No. 13 overall, but it’ll be slim pickins if the Cardinals, Redskins, and Giants all use their first-round ammo to select signal callers. Such an outcome would also hamper the Cardinals’ leverage, which may allow the Dolphins to land Rosen for their third round pick at No. 78 overall.

For what it’s worth, the Cardinals are willing to keep Rosen even if Murray is their guy – or, at least, that’s the narrative they seem to be pushing. There’s also a possibility that they’ll select a defender with the top pick, which would allow Rosen to stay in place as their starter in 2019.

West Draft Rumors: Cardinals, Murray, 49ers, Broncos

April 21st, 2019 at 7:30pm CST by Micah Powell

On Saturday, Arizona State receiver and local product N’Keal Harry visited the Cardinals for a private visit, NFL Network’s Ian Rappoport tweets.

Possessing the size, strength and speed of a prototypical outside receiver, Harry could be an option for Arizona should he still be on the board when the team is on the clock at No. 33. Harry should fully be in play there, as the Cardinals reportedly like the value of going receiver with their second-round pick, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller tweets.

Should the team go with Harry, it would pair him with another local standout in Christian Kirk, who impressed as a rookie before missing time with an injury down the stretch. The pair of young wideouts would join veteran and future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald in a potentially loaded receiver corps for either Josh Rosen or Kyler Murray, should the team go with the Oklahoma product as expected a week before the draft.

Here’s more draft talk from around the league:

Sticking with the Cardinals, though the team has been heavily linked to Murray, Kent Somer of the Arizona Republic believes the team should pass on the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. He thinks the team should stick with Rosen, attempt to trade down to pick up more picks, and, if that option is not possible, take either Quinnen Williams or Nick Bosa.
Speaking of Williams, many NFL executives reportedly prefer the Alabama defensive lineman to Ohio State’s Bosa as the draft’s top overall prospect, Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes. In a poll of 14 personnel members by Bob McGinn, six chose Williams as the top picks, twice as many as Bosa, who received the second most. Also receiving votes were Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins and Jeffery Simmons.
The Broncos have been heavily tied to quarterback’s heading into this week’s draft. Helping pick that signal-caller, if they do indeed go that route, is new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who learned how to pick the position from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, the Denver Post’s Ryan O’Halloran writes. “Kyle had a lot of success (evaluating quarterbacks) and (he) showed me some things that I use in the evaluation process,” Scangarello said. “It’s a tough position to evaluate. You just get them in (the meeting room) and you try and find out what you can about them.” Denver has been linked with Drew Lock, but Daniel Jones, Murray and Dwayne Haskins could all fit the bill at No. 10 if everything falls right.
The 49ers have been heavily tied to either Bosa or Williams with the No. 2 pick on Thursday, but the team is looking to the skill positions for their Round 2 pick, NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco writes. At the top of the list is wide receiver, where they are looking to find a starter-level pass catcher to complement second-year wideout Dante Pettis and veteran Marquise Goodwin. Maiocco notes the receivers who have been in for a visit include Harry, A.J. Brown, Hakeem Butler, Jalen Hurd and Deebo Samuel.

NFC Notes: Rosen, Kittle, Newton

April 18th, 2019 at 11:43am CST by Rory Parks

Amidst a deluge of trade speculation concerning second-year QB Josh Rosen, the Cardinals opted against making Rosen available to the media last week. But Rosen himself spoke to SI.TV (video link) about his uncertain status with the club, and while he did not disparage Arizona, he certainly sounded frustrated. He said, “I definitely understand the situation. I mean, it’s annoying but, like, it is what it is. Football’s a business, and I definitely respect the higher-ups and their decisions. . . . Whatever decisions are made, it’s my duty to prove them right if they keep me, and prove them wrong if they ship me off” (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk).

Now for more from around the NFC:

Regardless of who the Cardinals‘ QB is in 2019, RB David Johnson will be getting a ton of touches, both in terms of carries and as a receiver. Johnson said (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic), “[m]y role this upcoming season, from talking to the coaches, is that I’m going to hopefully get the ball a little bit more.” New head coach Kliff Kingsbury recently said he will build his offense around Johnson, who will be asked to earn every penny of the big-money extension he inked last September. Assuming he can remain healthy, Johnson should be able to tally at least 1,800 all-purpose yards.
49ers tight end George Kittle posted a whopping 1,377 receiving yards last year, and as Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required) writes, Kittle recorded 797 of those yards while injured. Barrows reports that Kittle suffered fractured cartilage in his rib cage early in the team’s Week 9 win over the Raiders, and that he wore two large rib protectors for the rest of the season. It sounds as if Kittle is (or will be) fully-recovered, and he is prepared to build on his monster 2018 campaign.
Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said QB Cam Newton has gotten a lot of his range of motion back, and while Newton hasn’t resumed throwing yet, that time is coming (via Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer). However, Rivera stopped shy of giving a timetable for Newton’s return.
As Rodrigue writes, the Panthers have been taking a look at this year’s collegiate passers, which has sparked some concern about Newton’s status. But Rivera and GM Marty Hurney downplayed the meaning of their QB scouting, and Rivera said, “I don’t think we’ve spent any more time on quarterbacks (this year) than we have in the past.” Rodrigue says the club remains optimistic about Newton’s progress, and while the Panthers could select a quarterback if the right player falls to them, they are not going to reach for one, and they are going to keep their focus on reviving the pass rush and bolstering the O-line.
Yesterday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones confirmed that the club will be exercising Ezekiel Elliott‘s fifth-year option, and as Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes, Jones also said that he will “obviously” be looking for a strong backup for Elliott. Rod Smith was the team’s No. 2 RB last year, but he is still a free agent, and it sounds as though Dallas wants an upgrade. The Cowboys are unlikely to invest a high-level draft choice on an RB given that Elliott will get the lion’s share of the touches, but a quality Day 3 prospect could be in the mix.

Draft Rumors: Raiders, Texans, Broncos, Falcons

April 12th, 2019 at 9:41pm CST by Micah Powell

The Raiders were busy in the 2018 NFL Draft and it looks like that could be the case again in 2019, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Michael Gehlken writes.

Holding three first-round picks and four in the first 35 selections, the Raiders have more than enough ammo needed to move up for a player they like or trade down to stockpile picks. Both scenarios seem like possibilities according to general manager Mike Mayock.

“Regardless of the scenario, we have to be ready to pick at four and be excited about a player,” Mayock said Thursday in a predraft news conference. “Right now, we might move up, and we might move back. Who knows? We won’t know until draft night. But if we’re ‘stuck’ at four, we have to be ready to go, and that’s a hell of a lot easier than worrying about all the permutations (of which players might be available) at 24, 27 and 35.”

In that same news conference, the first-year general manager noted that his preference would be to trade down and gather more picks to address the team’s deficiencies, NBC Sports’ Scott Bair writes.

Whether they move up or down, the Raiders will undoubtedly be one of the team’s to watch when the NFL Draft kicks off on April 25.

Here’s more draft news from around the league:

Ole Miss wide receiver A.J. Brown had a private workout with the Texans, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The Texans is just one of the handful of teams the slot receiver plans to visit, with the Packers, Colts, Patriots, Eagles, Giants, Redskins and Bills also on the list, according to NFL Network’s James Palmer (Twitter link). Houston already has a deep receiver corps with DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller V and Keke Coutee, but the latter two have been repeatedly hampered with injuries.
The Broncos do not appear interested in Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen if he’s made available, Palmer tweets. He notes that things like asking price can change, but Denver appears more set with going with the newly acquired Joe Flacco or taking a quarterback in the upcoming draft.
The Falcons will be focusing on the line in the upcoming draft, ESPN’s Vaughn McClure writes. Owner Arthur Blank said as much, commenting they need to get younger on the offensive line and that defensive line is an area of need. Atlanta owns the 14th pick and have shown heavy interest in Oklahoma lineman Cody Ford. –

Redskins Cooling On Josh Rosen?

April 10th, 2019 at 2:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Many have speculated that the Redskins are the leading suitor for Josh Rosen, but that might not be the case anymore. The Redskins are “not actively chasing” the Cardinals quarterback, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). He adds that their interest is not serious at this stage and, furthermore, does not believe that Rosen will be moved at all between now and the draft.

For the time being, the Redskins are focused on QBs in this year’s rookie class, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears. This jibes with what we’ve heard before, and furthermore, the Redskins will not offer its No. 15 overall pick for Rosen. Based on the latest news, it doesn’t sound like the Redskins would fork over their second-round pick (No. 46) either.

The Redskins were the first team connected to the UCLA product this offseason, but their recent acquisition of Case Keenum complicates matters. They’re not sold on Chosen Rosen, but they could revisit talks if they don’t get their desired prospect later this month. With just $6.24MM left on Rosen’s contract through 2021, he would be a good cap fit for a club that still has Alex Smith‘s deal on the books through 2022.

The Dolphins, Chargers, and Giants have also checked in on Rosen’s availability, but their level of interest is unclear.

Latest On Josh Rosen Market

April 8th, 2019 at 7:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Josh Rosen remains an Arizona Cardinal and plans to report to the start of the team’s offseason program. But with the Cardinals widely expected to draft Kyler Murray at No. 1 overall, trade rumors persist.

The Redskins remain at the front of the line, with NBC Sports’ Peter King predicting that is the most likely destination for the former UCLA standout. Both Jay Gruden and new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell liking the pocket passer coming out of college, King notes, adding that Washington’s offense would be a good fit for Rosen.

Washington has checked in but will not offer its No. 15 overall pick for Rosen. Even the Redskins’ second-round pick (No. 46) may be too rich of an asking price for the Cardinals, with King adding it’s possible Washington’s top third-round choice (No. 76) may be enough to pry away the 22-year-old passer. The Redskins were the first team connected to Rosen, but they then traded for Case Keenum, complicating their interest. However, the $6.24MM left through 2021 on Rosen’s contract would make sense for the Redskins, who have Alex Smith‘s lofty cap hits on their books through 2022.

Washington has also done “a ton” of work on this year’s draft-eligible quarterbacks, and Albert Breer of SI.com notes teams looking to move out of the top 10 view the Redskins as a prime trade partner. Although, Redskins executive VP Doug Williams did not sound like a trade-up was too likely.

Beyond Washington, Breer reports the Dolphins, Chargers and Giants have checked in on Rosen’s availability. The Cardinals have not given their incumbent starter any indication if he’s available, per Breer. They also are unlikely to accept the Giants’ No. 95 overall pick for a player they drafted 10th last year, King adds, which could complicate Big Blue’s plans. They have discussed a Rosen deal internally but have no picks between Nos. 37 and 95, giving up their third-rounder in last year’s supplemental draft.

The primary team linked to waiting until 2020 for their possible long-term quarterback, the Dolphins appear to be less bullish on this year’s class. The only way they will trade for Rosen or use their first-round pick on a passer this year is if they are convinced he is a possible 10-plus-year starter, King adds. The Dolphins have not had a 10-year QB starter since Dan Marino.

The Patriots were not high on Rosen last year, Breer notes, but that was partially because of what it would have cost them to move up in the first round to acquire him. After a rough year for Rosen, Patriots interest may still not be there, per King. Philip Rivers continues to indicate he has no near-future retirement plans, and the Bolts gave Tyrod Taylor $6MM on a two-year deal. This would not point to a Rosen-to-Los Angeles scenario coming to fruition.

Redskins A Front-Runner For Josh Rosen

April 6th, 2019 at 5:56pm CST by Micah Powell

If the Cardinals decide to trade second-year quarterback Josh Rosen, expect the Redskins to be at the front of the line for his services, NBC Sports’ JP Finlay writes.

Siting ESPN’s Todd McShay, who said he keeps hearing the Redskins from league sources, Finlay notes that Washington appears to be the front-runner for the UCLA product but will not include its first-round pick in 2019 in a deal.

Between Alex Smith (34), Colt McCoy (32) and Case Keenum (31), the Redskins would appear to make sense as a team in need of a young quarterback to build around. While the team has another four years committed to Smith, who broke his leg in 2018, it remains to be seen when he will return to the field. Though the newly acquired Keenum will compete with McCoy for the starting job, both have served most of their careers as backup signal-caller and would appear to not serve as a road block to Rosen, should a deal get done.

Though that first-round pick is off the table, Finlay says that a package of picks spread out over two seasons is firmly in play. With four selection in the first three rounds, Washington has plenty of ammo needed to make a deal work.

In addition to the Redskins, Rosen has been linked heavily with the Giants, Chargers and Patriots in recent days.

Cardinals’ Josh Rosen To Show For Workouts

April 5th, 2019 at 10:24am CST by Zachary Links

Despite being the subject of trade rumors, Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen is expected to report to and participate in the start of the team’s offseason workout program on Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. Other players rumored to be on the block have declined to report to workouts this offseason, but Rosen is apparently taking a business-as-usual approach.

The Cardinals, armed with the No. 1 overall pick, are rumored to be smitten with Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray. However, the Cardinals are still exploring other top prospects such as Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa and Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, so nothing is set in stone. It’s also possible the Cardinals could draft Murray and keep Rosen until they find a suitable deal for the UCLA product.

Statistically, Rosen had a lousy rookie year, but the Cardinals traded up from No. 15 to land him at No. 10 for a reason. Just one year ago, Rosen was considered to be one of the best QB prospects in the country, and the Cardinals are unlikely to give him away in a trade. If the Giants or other interested teams want to acquire him, it could cost them some significant draft capital.