Rourke NFL workouts: chooses Jacksonville

[Belize City Lion]

So I guess the Vikings, for example, with an aging Cousins and not much else at QB, decided that drafting an oft injured QB with nothing that special on his college ball resume, was smarter over giving Rourke a shot ?

Very hard to imagine justifying going to the Jags - with a proven young star QB and a re-signed vet back-up in the mix - was the better move for Nathan, but he had no say, so had to jump at the chance presented. (Ok, not hard to imagine really - cue the story line ...

One would think the fastest track for Rourke to getting playing time in the NFL would be to go to a team with either an aging or ineffective QB. But NFL teams with QB issues usually have a lot more that needs fixing than just the QB. So let's say Rourke had signed with Chicago, or Arizona, or even Denver. If Rourke gets a shot to play by mid-season because of injury or poor performance of the #1 QB, guess what? Those teams probably still continue to lose and miss the playoffs. Sure, in a purrfect Hollywood story Rourke would be the spark that helped a bad team suddenly start winning games. But in reality that is very unlikely. So everyone sees Rourke a just another backup that had no more success than the veteran he replaced. Next! Rourke could find himself back where he was at the start of 2023... sign with another NFL team for minimum and hope for a break, or return to the CFL to play out the rest of his career for around CAD$600K per season.

But going to Jacksonville, a team that is well coached and has all the tools to be not only a playoff team but a Superbowl contender, and if Rourke was pressed into duty because of an injury to Lawrence he would have a very good chance of being successful. Now the opinion of Rourke becomes "he stepped in for an MVP calibre QB and the team did not skip a beat!". Even if Rourke doesn't take a regular season snap for the next 2 years, the book on him will be "he's got some great film from college and CFL, plus he's been learning from Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson". In 2 years he could become one of the most highly sought non-starting free agent QBs. In the NFL that is worth an easy $3M per year. If he gets an opportunity to start anywhere in the NFL we are talking about earning generational wealth.

[Toppy Vann]

https://3downnation.com/2023/08/01/jack ... an-rourke/

[johnchow604]

Rourke did a great job in todays preseason game. Looks like Jacksonville fans are also impressed - https://www.duvalpride.com/showthread.php?tid=38587

This play was amazing.

[Toppy Vann]

Rourke did a great job in todays preseason game. Looks like Jacksonville fans are also impressed - https://www.duvalpride.com/showthread.php?tid=38587

This play was amazing.

They played this clip at the game today!

Impressive.

This guy prepares like only the best ever do.

[Toppy Vann]

Game recap of both Dallas and Jags highlights with several replays showing Nathan Rourke's pass and TD run.

https://stories.dazn.com/en-global/1237 ... guars.html


Box Scores showing game stats.

Rourke did very well and had the best QB stats and scored 14 pts in winning the game.

I know it means little to the Jags plans possibly but I'm impressed like their fans sounded to be.


https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore/_/gameId/401548620

The article puts the Rourke stats into context:

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/jaguars- ... -touchdown

3 Down Nation Justin Dunk:

‘That was nasty’: Patrick Mahomes praises Canadian QB Nathan Rourke’s viral passing touchdown in NFL preseason debut with Jaguars

High praise from his HC and the starter:

“It was pretty incredible. Toughness and poise in the pocket, being able to make a play like that. Have a couple of guys on him to make that throw for the touchdown — I haven’t seen too many plays like that, even in a preseason game,” Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson said.

“Nate did a nice job stepping in, making some plays and coming up big. Hats off to him, he did a nice job leading that group. Was able to put us in the end zone, then he had the touchdown run, too. He had a really good second half.”

“Nate had some unbelievable plays, so that was really cool to see him play well,” Jaguars’ franchise QB Trevor Lawrence said. “That’s what it takes in these preseason games, at the end of the game, you got a lot of different guys in there and you gotta have some plays like that. Nate played great, took care of the ball, won the game for us.”

https://3downnation.com/2023/08/12/that ... h-jaguars/

[Walt67]

We were able to watch all of Rourke's gameplay against the Cowboys and it was poised and impressive. In addition to the startling touchdown pass, he was able to "throw darts" as the play-by-play analysts said, and also run effectively, getting a touchdown and managing a first down run on a quarterback draw that effectively ended the game.
It was highlight reel stuff - and if the Jags didn't want him I'm sure other teams certainly would. It really is impossible not to root for this hard-working kid even though it is almost impossible that he will ever play in the CFL again.

[Toppy Vann]

We were able to watch all of Rourke's gameplay against the Cowboys and it was poised and impressive. In addition to the startling touchdown pass, he was able to "throw darts" as the play-by-play analysts said, and also run effectively, getting a touchdown and managing a first down run on a quarterback draw that effectively ended the game.
It was highlight reel stuff - and if the Jags didn't want him I'm sure other teams certainly would. It really is impossible not to root for this hard-working kid even though it is almost impossible that he will ever play in the CFL again.

The sports and news shows are showing this outing for Nathan Rourke in various forms including how the Lions bench reacted when it came up on the big screen. From where I was, the fans started looking at the Lions bench so I missed that what was happening on the screen at first.

Patrick Mahomes shout out on Twitter was nice to see. The trolls trashing Mahomes speaks volumes how low some fans will go there.

If proof that so far going to the Jaguars was a good decision on his part, how much he played in this first pre-season game made the case.
I guess it could be argued that the no. 2 QB is secure in that role and the coaches have zero concern in either 1 or 2 going forward.

I think the other is IIRC that they didn't bring in other QBs so he's not likely traded. Injuries do happen.

At least the HC accolades weren't the usual positives but hedged.

As Walt67 says, he's terrifically hard-working! I follow his Instagram and that of throwing coach Rob Williams and he was working out with Rob before his wedding in Alberta.

The question now for the CFL and Toronto especially is what will happen with Chad Kelly. Granted he's not as young as QB phenom Nathan Rourke and comes with baggage that he's showing his HC and team that's behind him. We need great QBs to make this league successful and as nice as it is to see Rourke do well it's a downside.

[Sir Purrcival]

I think that is the most depressing part about this. The overriding sense that when this league is lucky enough to find and have a superstar player, the conversation almost always changes to when is he going to take his skills down south. Unless, he is perhaps too old or too small, you just kind of have to hold back your enthusiasm for the future because you just know that odds are high that if this guy is really good, he is going to leave and we will likely never see him again up here, If we do, he may not ever be the same again. Even if we do get lucky with a Ricky Ray type, we still end up losing a couple of years while the player shuffles around from team to team, sitting on the bench or practise rosters. Those are years we don't get to enjoy their talent and make our game better with higher grade talent. It really sucks that as a fan you want your players to make great plays but at the same time, don't maybe want them to look too great because you don't want to lose them.

[Hambone]

I think that is the most depressing part about this. The overriding sense that when this league is lucky enough to find and have a superstar player, the conversation almost always changes to when is he going to take his skills down south. Unless, he is perhaps too old or too small, you just kind of have to hold back your enthusiasm for the future because you just know that odds are high that if this guy is really good, he is going to leave and we will likely never see him again up here, If we do, he may not ever be the same again. Even if we do get lucky with a Ricky Ray type, we still end up losing a couple of years while the player shuffles around from team to team, sitting on the bench or practise rosters. Those are years we don't get to enjoy their talent and make our game better with higher grade talent. It really sucks that as a fan you want your players to make great plays but at the same time, don't maybe want them to look too great because you don't want to lose them.

Fortunately it's not something that happens often. It seems to happen in spurts. I'm probably going to forget a few. There was Kapp, Liske & Pisarcik from 67-77. Then it was Moon and Brock in 84 & 85. Then it was fairly quiet until Flutie, Garcia, Ray, Burris, Dickenson & Printers all gave it a go from 1998 to 2006. Mostly crickets again until Streveler went south after the 2019 season.

The strange ones are guys who didn't really do anything up here then went to have decent NFL careers. I'm thinking Erik Kramer who threw for 964 yards with 5 TDs and 13 INTs in 1988 with Calgary before going on to play 9 years in the NFL where he started 67 of the 83 games he played. Trent Green was a backup in BC in 1994 but never took a snap. He spent over a decade in the NFL. Former Cowboys HC Jason Garrett was a backup in Ottawa for a couple months attempting only 3 passes before getting cut. He spent 1 year in the WLAF then 7 as a backup in Dallas.

In a bit of irony regarding Rourke in 2021 BC released Shea Patterson to make room for Danny Etling. They released Etling after 3 weeks to pursue NFL opportunities. He beat Rourke to the NFL. He signed with Seattle a few weeks later but was released after a couple weeks. Since then he had a couple of injury emergency cups of coffee (less than a week) with Denver and Green Bay. Double irony is he spent a bit of time on the PR of those same Jacksonville Jaguars late in 2021 followed by the 2022 season on Green Bay's PR. He started 2023 training camp with GB but was released a week ago.

[Sir Purrcival]

Players that come to mind for me are those like Marc Boerigter, John Avery, Casey Printers, Cameron Wake, Joe Theisman, Brandon Browner, Rocket Ismail, Mervyn Fernandez, Warren Moon and so on and so on. It isn't just the Qb that I am thinking about, it is an all position issue. I don't begrudge a single one of them for wanting to make their hard work pay but after decades of watching great players cut their teeth here and then leave, it makes it a little hard to get excited for the next great player. The excitement, the elation, turns all too quick to when is the hammer going to drop.

[Toppy Vann]

If Rourke, who signed a futures deal with Jacksonville in January, is assigned to the Jag’s practice squad, any team in the league could pick him up. Rourke said as many as a dozen NFL teams expressed interest in signing him last winter, so the 2022 CFL Most Outstanding Player landing with another NFL squad wouldn’t be a surprise.

https://theprovince.com/sports/football ... g-td-throw

In some ways NFL rules need some work like actually allowing all out motion before the snap.

3 QBs only this year.


PFT Draft: Backup QBs to watch in preseason

The new rule permitting a third quarterback to dress for games requires the team to have three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster. Last year, only 12 teams (per the league) had three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.Aug 4, 2023

The NFL implemented a revised third quarterback rule for the 2023 NFL season in response to the 49ers sustaining injuries to both of their active quarterbacks in the NFC Championship Game. The third quarterback can be placed on an inactive roster spot where he would not use a spot on the 53 player active roster.

[Belize City Lion]

Players that come to mind for me are those like Marc Boerigter, John Avery, Casey Printers, Cameron Wake, Joe Theisman, Brandon Browner, Rocket Ismail, Mervyn Fernandez, Warren Moon and so on and so on. It isn't just the Qb that I am thinking about, it is an all position issue. I don't begrudge a single one of them for wanting to make their hard work pay but after decades of watching great players cut their teeth here and then leave, it makes it a little hard to get excited for the next great player. The excitement, the elation, turns all too quick to when is the hammer going to drop.

Cameron Wake was probably the last true "superstar" the CFL lost to the NFL before Rourke. That was 14 years ago.

Moon came to Canada because in the 1970s there wasn't much opportunity for a black QB in the NFL. After 5 years of dominating the CFL he could no longer be denied because of his skin colour.

The Rocket came to Toronto because Bruce McNall offered him the highest contract in the history of pro football at the time. $18.2M over 4 years. 1.25M more per season than Joe Montana was making in the NFL.

Theisman only came to Toronto because he wouldn't accept the terms from Miami for his $35K bonus (spread out over three years). So Miami hung on to his rights for 3 seasons before trading them away to Washington, at which point Theisman jumped to the NFL.

Fernandez is a good example of a talented player who was able to get an NFL opportunity after showcasing himself in the CFL. That was nearly 40 years ago.

Casey Printers was a flash in the pan who ultimately could not get out of his own way. No matter how romantically some Lionbackers would like to remember him.

My point is, the cases of the CFL losing bonafide superstars to the NFL is actually quite few and far between. Especially if you don't count the guys that came to the CFL for reasons other than being overlooked by the NFL.

[DanoT]

There are far more guys with talent who have had their NFL shot, it was a short NFL career and they got tired of bouncing between PR or limited NFL game day reps, so now they settle in to a CFL career and perhaps stardom in the CFL.

[Sir Purrcival]

Players that come to mind for me are those like Marc Boerigter, John Avery, Casey Printers, Cameron Wake, Joe Theisman, Brandon Browner, Rocket Ismail, Mervyn Fernandez, Warren Moon and so on and so on. It isn't just the Qb that I am thinking about, it is an all position issue. I don't begrudge a single one of them for wanting to make their hard work pay but after decades of watching great players cut their teeth here and then leave, it makes it a little hard to get excited for the next great player. The excitement, the elation, turns all too quick to when is the hammer going to drop.

Cameron Wake was probably the last true "superstar" the CFL lost to the NFL before Rourke. That was 14 years ago.

Moon came to Canada because in the 1970s there wasn't much opportunity for a black QB in the NFL. After 5 years of dominating the CFL he could no longer be denied because of his skin colour.

The Rocket came to Toronto because Bruce McNall offered him the highest contract in the history of pro football at the time. $18.2M over 4 years. 1.25M more per season than Joe Montana was making in the NFL.

Theisman only came to Toronto because he wouldn't accept the terms from Miami for his $35K bonus (spread out over three years). So Miami hung on to his rights for 3 seasons before trading them away to Washington, at which point Theisman jumped to the NFL.

Fernandez is a good example of a talented player who was able to get an NFL opportunity after showcasing himself in the CFL. That was nearly 40 years ago.

Casey Printers was a flash in the pan who ultimately could not get out of his own way. No matter how romantically some Lionbackers would like to remember him.

My point is, the cases of the CFL losing bonafide superstars to the NFL is actually quite few and far between. Especially if you don't count the guys that came to the CFL for reasons other than being overlooked by the NFL.

You kind of miss my point I think. Why they were here, isn't really germaine to what I was saying. The point I was trying to assert from my original post was that players who do play as stars in this league and that included Printers up till he went down south, are constantly being drawn away by the lure the the NFL. Even if they do bounce around the league and eventually find their way back, at the very least, that is 2-3 years CFL fans are denied the pleasure of watching them play or as in the case of Printers, seemed to come back a changed player who never again amounted to anything significant. What it still translates to is that there is this constant drain on the league's top players when they are often playing some of their best ball. That tempers some of the excitement about top players because one immediately wonders if they are going to be around anything more than a handful of seasons. It also lowers the overall quality of the game CFL fans are treated to. Right now, our league is suffering from an acute shortage of quality QB's and a even more acute shortage of depth at that position. In part, that is because every NFL team as of 2023 is able to dress 3 QB's and that 3rd QB doesn't even count as a roster spot. How many of those QB's could be either starting or backup on a CFL team right now. Instead we are treated to the situations in Edmonton, Ottawa, Hamilton, and pretty much every other team that has lost their appointed starter, struggling to find qualified players at the position. We now live in a universe where Antonio Pipkin has some kind of trade value (not trying to pick on Pipkin here).

[DanoT]

Not only is there a lack of QB depth in the CFL, the same exists in the NFL, hence their dressing a third QB, hoping no doubt to address a lack of quality, experienced QBs in the NFL.

Trevor Lawrence got to start as a rookie (I think) for Jacksonville and others have gotten oppourtunities early in their NFL career, again due to a lack of experience and depth at the QB position.