Quarterback isn't like any other position, no matter what coaches and general managers might say, and that's why the Miami Dolphins' trade for Josh Rosen is the most important transaction they have made this offseason.
But one big question remains: Why would Miami trade for Rosen just one year after deciding he wasn't worthy of a top-11 pick in the 2018 draft?
"I wouldn't say we didn't like Rosen," Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said. "[We're] working with different coaching staffs and what they're looking for at the position. At that point, we were talking about a top-10 pick, and he just wasn't in those top five or six guys we were comfortable taking at pick 11."
To put it bluntly, the new Dolphins coaching staff likes Rosen, 22, far more than the previous one did. Rosen would not be in Miami if the trade value hadn't been ideal and the Dolphins' coaching staff -- specifically offensive coordinator Chad O'Shea -- did not believe it could mold him into a player worth building around in the future.
That might be the most important factor when evaluating Rosen's chance to be the answer in Miami.
The Dolphins' template for success lies in Los Angeles, where the perception of Rams quarterback Jared Goff flipped from a potential bust (after a disastrous Year 1) to an important piece of an ascending contender (after Year 2).
Sean McVay proved to be a strong variable in Goff's turnaround, as the head coach stepped in as a creative playcaller and understanding leader who shaped his offense to highlight Goff's strengths and hide his weaknesses.
In a best-case scenario for Miami, the Dolphins aim to maximize the skill set of their own newly acquired top-10 talent and unlock a Rosen revival during the 2019 season. There's no McVay in Miami. But the Dolphins do have an experienced quarterback expert in Jim Caldwell on staff, and fans should get to know O'Shea well, because those two hold the keys to making this Rosen experiment work.
O'Shea, a first-time playcaller, already identified making the quarterback's job easier as a cornerstone of his offense even before the Dolphins had acquired Rosen.
"I strongly believe that it takes great protection, it takes the receivers to be dependable and detailed and disciplined in the pass game to allow a quarterback to be accurate," O'Shea said.
It's fair to reason O'Shea concluded that a lack of those factors played a role in Rosen's Year 1 struggles with the Arizona Cardinals.
Meanwhile, Caldwell likely will have the most direct contact with Rosen as his quarterbacks coach -- and it will be a luxury for an inquisitive mind like Rosen to get plenty of one-on-one attention with the man who coached Peyton Manning for a decade. Caldwell also has been a two-time NFL head coach, and he's the most veteran coach on the Dolphins' staff -- a perfect brain for Rosen to pick.
Expect the Dolphins' offense under O'Shea, Caldwell and running backs coach Eric Studesville to include heavy usage for running backs in the passing game, quick easy-read passes, a middle-of-the-field attack, and play-action to keep defenders guessing.
It's no secret the Cardinals had arguably the worst offensive line in the league last season, and a supporting cast of offensive weapons that wasn't much better. Rosen had an NFL-worst 66.7 QB rating and 55 percent completion rate, and the lack of help around him showed.
Rosen won't be rescued from all of those issues, particularly given Miami's offensive line woes, too, but he is hoping he can count on some coaching stability to aid his growth as a quarterback.
O'Shea is the fourth NFL offensive coordinator (Mike McCoy, Weeks 1-7 of 2018; Byron Leftwich, Weeks 8-17 of 2018; Kliff Kingsbury, 2019 offseason) whom Rosen has studied under since he was drafted a year ago. That is exhausting, as you would expect.
"It encourages some mental gymnastics, and the more you train it and the more you work it, I think the better you get at it," Rosen said about all the changes. "Multiple offenses give you different kinds of understandings of what guys are trying to attack. ... [But in Miami] we've got a really good room. Hopefully it's going to be an indicator of a lot of success."
Rosen's improvement doesn't have to be as drastic as Goff's to convince Miami he is worth investing in, either. The Dolphins should be honest with themselves, understanding that their roster resources aren't conducive for a player to make a 180-degree turnaround in one season.
But O'Shea and Dolphins assistant quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski did their homework on Rosen in the pre-draft process when the two were assistants in New England, and they each feel comfortable with the team's final evaluation after further research.
"It feels like I got drafted twice," Rosen said.
So as the second-year quarterback prepares for his fresh start, the chemistry between him and his coaches should be one of the more interesting dynamics to follow in their quest for Rosen's revival.