Jul. 21—The Browns are not waiting around to hear bad news about a possible lengthy suspension for Deshaun Watson. Instead, they added reinforcements to their quarterback room before the hammer falls.
The Browns on July 21 agreed to a one-year contract with former first-round pick Josh Rosen, according to league source, after working out Rosen and A.J. McCarron earlier in the day.
Training camp opens July 27 at the Browns' complex in Berea. Watson will begin camp as the starting quarterback with Jacoby Brissett as his backup and Josh Dobbs as the third-string QB. The Browns, however, needed someone with experience behind Brissett because Watson will likely be suspended for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy as a result of 24 massage therapists accusing him of sexual misconduct.
Disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson could announce her recommendation on Watson's suspension at any time. Friday is always a good news dump day, so her decision could come down July 22. Meanwhile, the Browns needed another quarterback.
Rosen, 25, was drafted 10th overall by the Arizona Cardinals in 2018. The Browns selected Baker Mayfield first overall in the same draft. Quarterbacks Sam Darnold, taken third by the Jets and Josh Allen, taken seventh by the Bills went ahead of Rosen. Lamar Jackson was taken by the Baltimore Ravens 32nd overall in the same draft.
Rosen was 3-10 as a rookie. The Cardinals gave up on him, traded him to the Dolphins before the 2019 draft, and then selected Kyler Murray with the first pick that year.
Rosen was 0-3 with the Dolphins in 2019. The Dolphins drafted Tua Tagovailoa fifth overall in 2020 and cut Rosen before the start of the 2020 season.
The Buccaneers signed Rosen to their practice squad in September 2020. The 49ers signed him off the Bucs practice squad in December 2020, but he never played a game for San Francisco. The Falcons signed him to backup Matt Ryan last year after McCarron suffered a knee injury in the preseason.
Rosen's stat line shows why was having trouble finding work as an NFL quarterback: 24 games played over three seasons, 3-13 as a starter, 277 completions in 513 attempts for 2,864 yards with 12 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry could have made a bolder move by signing free agent veteran Cam Newton, coaxing Ryan Fitzpatrick out of retirement or trading for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but the Browns concluded Rosen will be a better fit for the time being. The Browns also passed on offering a tryout to free agent quarterback Blake Bortles, a first-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014.