It was only three years ago that New York Giants fans were clamoring on about targeting UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Fast forward to present day, and Rosen has been cut by three teams and went unclaimed on the waiver wire after being released by the San Francisco 49ers.
Rosen had mentioned he wasn’t getting enough reps during practice, as San Francisco drafted Trey Lance to compete with Jimmy Garoppolo for the team’s top quarterback spot. Rosen is now a free agent and could be headed toward his fifth NFL team in three years. The former No. 10 overall pick has struggled to find his way in the NFL, and the Giants could ultimately be a good landing spot for him after an embarrassing performance by Clayton Thorson last week that saw him complete just five passes on 16 attempts.
What would Rosen bring to the New York Giants?
Rosen has 20 games of NFL experience, with 14 of them coming in his rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals. He recorded 2,278 yards and 11 scores on just a 55.2% completion rate. He threw 14 interceptions and fumbled 10 times before Arizona elected to draft Kyler Murray the year after.
The Giants, though, could use more competition and camp arms. Rosen still has talent but hasn’t been given the right opportunity to build on his confidence. There is no question a Daniel Jones is the top dog in New York, but Rosen could compete for the QB2 or third-string option role. At the very least, allowing him to earn some reps at the back end of preseason games couldn’t hurt, especially since he’s only three years removed from being a first-round pick and has starting experience at the NFL level.
Nonetheless, Rosen completed 10 passes on 15 attempts last week for 93 yards and an interception, being sacked once. He posted a 55.7 overall QB rating, further dampening his potential.
Should the New York Giants consider taking a flyer on Rosen? Absolutely — they simply have nothing to lose.