Earlier this summer, due to his many sexual misconduct allegations and lawsuits, new Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was given a six-game suspension by independent arbitrator Sue Robinson.
The NFL appealed the decision, and after the two sides negotiated, the suspension was set at 11 games.
In anticipation of Watson not being allowed to play for an extended period, Cleveland loaded up on backup QBs, acquiring Jacoby Brissett early in the offseason.
More recently, in an effort to give itself some insurance, it also brought in Josh Rosen, a former college football sensation.
On Tuesday, the Browns released him, but they brought him back on Thursday to be a part of their practice squad.
Just hours after it looked like his NFL career may have ended, Rosen has apparently gotten a reprieve.
However, fans across social media aren’t feeling a ton of compassion for him.
Whatever Happened To Bruin Josh Rosen?
Not too long ago, Rosen was a mammoth in college football.
A native of the Los Angeles area, he played his college ball at the University of California, Los Angeles, and it was there that he tantalized football fans, not to mention scouts.
As a freshman, he set a new Bruin record for most consecutive passes thrown without an interception while earning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors and being named a Freshman All-American by numerous publications.
In his junior season, despite suffering multiple concussions, he threw for 3,756 yards and 26 touchdowns in just 11 contests, and he led UCLA to the Cactus Bowl.
Rosen became one of several prime prospects in what was thought to be a QB-laden 2018 NFL Draft, which also featured Baker Mayfield, who was taken first overall by Cleveland, and fellow Southern California native Sam Darnold.
Rosen was the 10th overall pick by the Arizona Cardinals, and he famously said that the nine teams that passed on him would regret it.
Instead, the Cardinals likely have regretted taking Rosen.
Nothing But Pain And Disappointment For Rosen
As an NFL rookie, Rosen threw for 2,278 yards in 14 contests, but he managed just 11 touchdowns while throwing 14 interceptions and posting a passer rating of just 66.7.
He had some dreadful performances, such as in Week 7 versus the Denver Broncos when he went just 21-of-39, threw three interceptions and was sacked six times in a 45-10 rout.
The Cardinals finished 3-13 and were dead last in points scored and total yards gained.
Rosen was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2019, but he played in just six contests and started only three before being benched in favored of Ryan Fitzpatrick.
The former Bruin didn’t play in 2020, although he spent time on the practice squads of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers, and last season he played four contests for the Atlanta Falcons in spot duty.
Rosen May Not See The Field Again
With Brissett firmly entrenched at the Browns’ QB2, Joshua Dobbs winning the competition to be Brissett’s backup and the Browns signing an additional QB in Kellen Mond, Rosen will likely be forced to sit and watch again this season.
It may not be fair to dump on Rosen for being a poor NFL QB, as some great college players simply do not have the physical tools to translate what they showed at that level to the pros.
At the very least, he can live with the pride of having been a big-time star at one of the more prominent athletic programs in the nation.
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