Rourke now a NE Patriot

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squishy35
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Dusty
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I hope he gets some playing time. Being on the active roster for the rest of the season makes it more lucrative and easier to sub him into the game.... As I understand the waiver rules, he is on the 53 man roster without being an emergency only QB player.

I could be wrong about this, but trust that someone will correct me.
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I just read the news online. I LIKE it!! :beauty:
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B.C.FAN
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Rourke has a much clearer path to the active roster and playing time with the Patriots. The downside for him is that the team is also on the downside, and there are questions about the future of legendary coach Bill Belichick. I hope he is a quick learner because he may get thrown into the fire.
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almo89
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Patriots will get a high draft pick and will probably try to get a QB which will be another person Rourke will have to compete against. At least now Rourke has a better chance at actually seeing the field.
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Toppy Vann
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almo89 wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2023 2:46 pm
Patriots will get a high draft pick and will probably try to get a QB which will be another person Rourke will have to compete against. At least now Rourke has a better chance at actually seeing the field.
That might be a problem going forward if the GM ties big bucks in a QB drafted to start.

Also, if they just have 3 games left not counting if they were in the playoffs where does that leave Rourke now if he can't actually play this season or he does play and their team sucks.

What this does do is pay rather nicely so anyone wondering why he'd languish on an NFL PR can now see he'll make by season's end in CAD $ about $534,600.
The team has three regular season games remaining and Rourke will be on the active roster for all three as per the NFL’s waiver rules. Per sources, Rourke will travel to New England on Monday night. His final earnings for the 2023 season will be $398,996 USD.
If he signs, I assume he'll not be number 12 as they retired Tom Brady's number 12.
On retired numbers I've heard Michael Irwin speak to this both on the Sunday shows and more recently on Jimmy Kimmel.
I fully agree that keeping your number in play keeps your name current.
Here's Irwin informs Kimmel why he doesn't want his number retired and he's right.
Watch until the end as he gets a great laugh as he's apparently telliing this same story over and over and over keeping his name on TV broadcasts.



Someone put this on Instagram right away but maybe he's comfortable with his new number with the Jags 18. Many players like a few numbers and don't worry about it.




Overall though this could be a good move for him and I'm sure he and his agent/advisors and him have thought of how to handle this scenario as he's not one to just jump on any NFL bus.
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Only 3 games remaining and not much oppourtunity to learn the Offense of a new team. This looks like a "let's see what we got for next year" move by the Patriots and a screw up by the Jags, especially if Lawrence gets ruled out due to concussion for the next game.
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Farhan Lalji from the beach in Hawaii on the Rourke situation and NE.



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B.C.FAN
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Rourke posted a nice parting message to the Jaguars on Instagram. Jacksonville fans appear to be sad to see him leave.

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B.C.FAN wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2023 6:27 pm
Rourke posted a nice parting message to the Jaguars on Instagram. Jacksonville fans appear to be sad to see him leave.

Not surprising that Rourke would do this. It's classy and that is the type of person he is.
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DanoT wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2023 5:32 pm
Only 3 games remaining and not much oppourtunity to learn the Offense of a new team. This looks like a "let's see what we got for next year" move by the Patriots and a screw up by the Jags, especially if Lawrence gets ruled out due to concussion for the next game.
Hindsight is always 20/20. Jags could not possibly predict Lawrence might pick up an injury of any sort at the time they had to make the waiver decision on Rourke.
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Hambone
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almo89 wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2023 2:46 pm
Patriots will get a high draft pick and will probably try to get a QB which will be another person Rourke will have to compete against. At least now Rourke has a better chance at actually seeing the field.
If the draft order was set today NE would have the #2 pick. Unless they somehow pull at least 2 more wins in their final 3 they are not drafting worse than 4th. They are in great shape to get either Caleb Williams or Derek Maye.
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Good. He might have a better opportunity on a team that doesn't have a QB that is considered a possible historic talent. I'm not sure honestly if Lawrence is going to live up to expectations. I see the talent but not as certain about the cognitive side
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Toppy Vann
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If nothing materializes for Rourke with the Patriots in actually playing in a game this season (or maybe the last one), he'll gain valuable experience and learning and make some way better money.

The risk for Rourke is who they might grab in the draft as their new heir apparent - and even I know that the highly drafted QB gets an open lane to starter.

The other risk is that he never gets a chance to do other than practice here however, I don't doubt his desire his excel. He strikes me as someone who can be patient and play the longer game here. He has good advisors I'm sure so he'll know best what can work for him. He strikes me as someone who can take information and not be naive in assessing what's best for his career.

Is he in better position than Chris Streveler is a question or will he end up having to follow that kind of path? On the plus side for Rourke is that Streveler was not the whole package as a future Starter unlike how people could see Rourke could be.

He proved his position financially and is making what a top CFL QB would make this year for this season.

The emergency QB rule comes into play again: Rourke joining the 53 rather than the practice squad means that New England now also can use the new emergency quarterback rule again. For it to work, the Patriots would have to keep Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones on their game day roster while making Rourke inactive. If both of the two top options become unavailable either through injury or ejection, he would then be allowed to enter the game.
https://www.patspulpit.com/2023/12/19/2 ... ed-reserve
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B.C.FAN
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Although he's guaranteed a paycheque for the final 3 games of the regular season, Rourke will likely face the same restrictive QB3 rule in New England that kept him off the field in Jacksonville. Prominent Patriots blogger Bernd Buchmasser suggests Rourke will be listed on the 53-man roster as the emergency third quarterback, meaning he could only play if both Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe are unable to finish a game.
Rourke joining the 53 rather than the practice squad means that New England now also can use the new emergency quarterback rule again. For it to work, the Patriots would have to keep Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones on their game day roster while making Rourke inactive. If both of the two top options become unavailable either through injury or ejection, he would then be allowed to enter the game.
Buchmasser suggests Rourke's prospects as an NFL player are limited but his biggest impact will be on the scout team, where he can help the Patriots prepare to face mobile opposing QBs Russell Wilson and Josh Allen in the next two weeks.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Rourke is slightly undersized as a quarterback and offers no truly outstanding traits to suggest he will be much more than a backup option at the NFL level. However, he has value as a scout-team option for the Patriots especially due to his dual-threat abilities.

Rourke gained 2,034 rushing yards and scored 49 touchdowns on 425 carries at Ohio. In the CFL, he carried the ball 57 times for 415 yards and 12 scores.

With the Patriots set to face some mobile quarterbacks in back-to-back weeks now — the Denver Broncos’ Russell Wilson followed by the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen — having a player like that under contract makes sense: ideally, Rourke will help the New England defense prepare for this type of player over the coming weeks.
What claiming Nathan Rourke off waivers, placing Cole Strange on IR means for the Patriots
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