Miami Dolphins ought to be showing some love to NFL.com’s film grinder, Brian Baldinger. The man known as “Baldy” spent his Saturday morning this weekend picking through the tape of Miami’s 16-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Baldinger had great things to say about Miami’s 2019 1st-round pick Christian Wilkins — but it turns out Baldinger also has an appreciate for what Miami’s 2nd-round investment did on Friday night.
That’s right, Baldinger came away impressed with Dolphins QB Josh Rosen’s play in his first start for the Dolphins. Specifically, Baldinger pulls 7 throws from Miami’s defeat to highlight “evaluation tape” of Rosen and some of the skills he brings to the table as a quarterback.
Among the qualities that Baldinger highlights?
- Progressions
- Footwork
- Arm strength
The Dolphins don’t know what they have in Josh Rosen yet. The team has slowly but surely added to his plate and thus far Rosen has risen to the challenge. If he can meet the demands of the regular season with steady improvement where will that leave Rosen’s trajectory as a pro?
He’d almost certainly be more valuable than his stock after a year in Arizona — but would it be enough to put off drafting a quarterback? It is impossible to tell. And in the meantime, the only thing Rosen can worry about is trying to finish off this position battle with Ryan Fitzpatrick and nail down the starting role.
But the flashes remain. Growth is key for Rosen — but not as much as consistency. How well he can bottle and channel the play he showed over Baldinger’s 7 throws will be a defining variable in Rosen’s time with the Dolphins.
