The Patriots reportedly are interested in Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen, who has been the subject of trade rumors amid talk Arizona could select Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
But New England’s potential pursuit of Rosen could be impacted by Arizona’s willingness — or lack thereof — to deal away the second-year signal-caller.
Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson looked at Rosen’s situation with the Cardinals in a piece published Sunday, and it sounds like the Patriots might be in wait-and-see mode.
“A team source in New England wasn’t fully convinced the Cardinals had settled on trading Rosen,” Robinson wrote.
Of course, it takes two to tango. The Patriots could think highly of Rosen — perhaps to the point where they’re willing to put together an enticing package — but if the Cardinals don’t want to trade the 22-year-old, then there’s no way New England will be able to strike a deal.
Rosen, the 10th overall pick in 2018, had an awful rookie season, throwing 11 touchdowns to 14 interceptions while completing just 55.2 percent of his passes. But the Cardinals were terrible, particularly along the offensive line, and even fired head coach Steve Wilks after just one season. It’s fair to assume most rookie QBs would’ve been doomed under similar circumstances.
If the Cardinals trade Rosen, it’ll likely be a reflection of how high they are on Murray, who’s coming off a Heisman Trophy-winning season with the Sooners, rather than how low they are on their current quarterback.
The Patriots would be an interesting landing spot, as Rosen, a UCLA product, would have the chance to learn behind Tom Brady, arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history, before potentially taking the reins in New England someday.
