Speculation has been rife surrounding the Arizona Cardinals quarterback situation, ever since first-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury was hired and his past comments on Kyler Murray’s NFL prospects came to light. The discourse was hardly quieted when general manager Steve Keim made the thinnest possible commitment to last year’s starter, Josh Rosen. Could the New Orleans Saints get swept up in the drama?
Rosen was one of the top quarterbacks in a great 2018 rookie class, but ended up being shackled to a lame duck coaching staff. He was limited by predictable playcalls and a spotty-at-best offensive line. In many ways his rookie season reflected what Los Angeles Rams passer Jared Goff put up in his first season, before being paired with a top-shelf head coach in Sean McVay. There’s plenty of reason to think Rosen could thrive in another situation.
Rosen is a pure pocket passer who can hit passes accurately downfield, but struggled with constant pressure in his face and few receiving options in his rookie debut. He showed an ability to move past early mistakes and remain competitive in games despite having few weapons to work with. In many ways he recalls Brees early in his career, scanning the field and moving efficiently to get the ball out quickly. It wouldn’t be shocking if the Cardinals keep him around, but Murray is simply a better fit for Kingsbury’s Air Raid-style offense.
If Rosen is truly on the trading block, the Saints make sense as a suitor. They don’t have a 2019 first rounder to offer for Rosen, but it’s possible other teams won’t offer their own top picks for a passer who threw 14 interceptions against 11 touchdowns last year. If Arizona is willing to settle for a late second round pick — the Saints pick at 62 — then New Orleans could very well make a move for Rosen, hoping to get their answer for life after Drew Brees.
