NFL Interest in Rourke

[OV:54-40]

Casey Printers could be a cautionary tale for Rourke while Warren Moon could be an excellent example to try to follow.

Ricky Ray, Henry Burris, Dave Dickenson. Though each of those had somewhat better success when they came back north than Casey did. But none of them barely even got to practice down there.

Burris actually had a start - against the Bucs SB winning D of that season - not surprising he did not fare to well ... but that was many moons ago.

ZERO NFL interest in ANY CFL QBs lately (outside of a running QB Strevler); don't see this changing for Roukre - regardless of how well he does in the CFL.

[Toppy Vann]

I was unaware of the rookie contracts in the CBA that pays this starter less money than he deserves as a starting QB. You'd think there'd be a break clause for starters like at QB.

I have no idea of his aspirations but if it's true how hard he's working outside practice (first in, last out and working with Rob Williams in NV during bye week which got him a bit of tape on local TV) etc. I think this guy is one of the more level-headed players not likely to be an evaluator like Casey Printers but more along the lines of Bo Levi Mitchell who if you googled was supported by his HC Dave D to go south but who also provided a living, experienced lesson as to what can happen irrespective of your skills.

Warren Moon went to a Hugh Campbell coached Houston Oilers that had on staff former MTL HC Kay Dalton, former Esk QB Bruce Lemmerman (REC) and later famous coach in Bill Walsh as (OL coach). Gene Gaines ran Special Teams. Quite a CFL friendly coaching staff along with Hugh C. https://americanfootball.fandom.com/wik ... ton_Oilers

If Nathan Rourke is the person that Rick Campbell speaks of, I can't see him making a monetary decision about football versus actually building a track record of success here first.

[Hambone]

I did have either an epiphany or a brain fart on this for a way to keep from jumping south right away. I still think Rourke will play out his 3rd year no matter what to put himself in a much stronger position when it came to negotiating an NFL situation I.e. competing for a #2 spot vs PR or possible #3.

I was wondering if BC couldn't come to an agreement sooner rather than later whereby they would give him a big contract ($400K+ range) for 2024 and beyond AND keep aside enough cap space during 2023 to in turn pay him for arguments sake $250K in a signing bonus to be paid in Dec 2023 while still working under 2023 SMS. Effectively using the 2024 contract to backload his 2023 salary to pay him what he truly deserves next season.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have no clue if such a arrangement would even be allowed.

[DanoT]

I did have either an epiphany or a brain fart on this for a way to keep from jumping south right away. I still think Rourke will play out his 3rd year no matter what to put himself in a much stronger position when it came to negotiating an NFL situation I.e. competing for a #2 spot vs PR or possible #3.

I was wondering if BC couldn't come to an agreement sooner rather than later whereby they would give him a big contract ($400K+ range) for 2024 and beyond AND keep aside enough cap space during 2023 to in turn pay him for arguments sake $250K in a signing bonus to be paid in Dec 2023 while still working under 2023 SMS. Effectively using the 2024 contract to backload his 2023 salary to pay him what he truly deserves next season.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have no clue if such a arrangement would even be allowed.

^^^Great idea Hambone. I am a firm believer that Rourke should take the Warren Mood style approach of several years of CFL success vs the One Year Wonder approach of Casey Printers before going to the NFL. Imo Rourke should go to the NFL when there is a legit shot at being the starter vs go at the end of the season and hold a clip board for a few years in the NFL would be taking yourself off the field.

[Hambone]

I did have either an epiphany or a brain fart on this for a way to keep from jumping south right away. I still think Rourke will play out his 3rd year no matter what to put himself in a much stronger position when it came to negotiating an NFL situation I.e. competing for a #2 spot vs PR or possible #3.

I was wondering if BC couldn't come to an agreement sooner rather than later whereby they would give him a big contract ($400K+ range) for 2024 and beyond AND keep aside enough cap space during 2023 to in turn pay him for arguments sake $250K in a signing bonus to be paid in Dec 2023 while still working under 2023 SMS. Effectively using the 2024 contract to backload his 2023 salary to pay him what he truly deserves next season.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have no clue if such a arrangement would even be allowed.

^^^Great idea Hambone. I am a firm believer that Rourke should take the Warren Mood style approach of several years of CFL success vs the One Year Wonder approach of Casey Printers before going to the NFL. Imo Rourke should go to the NFL when there is a legit shot at being the starter vs go at the end of the season and hold a clip board for a few years in the NFL would be taking yourself off the field.

Things are so much different now than they were when Moon was biding his time in the CFL. Moon's CFL wages were as good as many NFL QBs, better than some, but not up with high end established starters. Fast forward to 2023 and NFL Minimum Salary for a rookie will be USD$750K. For a player who gets in enough time in 2023 to accrue a "year of service" he would get bumped to USD$915K as min salary in 2024. That's the equivalent of CDN$2.2M for just 2 years are minimum salary. Would Moon have stuck around the CFL as long as he did if the NFL earnings potential was 5 fold instead of being pretty much a wash. He also was fully aware of the skeptical NFL mindset towards black QBs at the time making it somewhat of a gamble to leave a league where black QBs were widely accepted by coaches and adored by fans.

[DanoT]

Still, I think Rourke is better served by focusing on getting on the field and developing his talent vs getting big $$ at this point in his career.

[Qman]

I did have either an epiphany or a brain fart on this for a way to keep from jumping south right away. I still think Rourke will play out his 3rd year no matter what to put himself in a much stronger position when it came to negotiating an NFL situation I.e. competing for a #2 spot vs PR or possible #3.

I was wondering if BC couldn't come to an agreement sooner rather than later whereby they would give him a big contract ($400K+ range) for 2024 and beyond AND keep aside enough cap space during 2023 to in turn pay him for arguments sake $250K in a signing bonus to be paid in Dec 2023 while still working under 2023 SMS. Effectively using the 2024 contract to backload his 2023 salary to pay him what he truly deserves next season.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have no clue if such a arrangement would even be allowed.

^^^Great idea Hambone. I am a firm believer that Rourke should take the Warren Mood style approach of several years of CFL success vs the One Year Wonder approach of Casey Printers before going to the NFL. Imo Rourke should go to the NFL when there is a legit shot at being the starter vs go at the end of the season and hold a clip board for a few years in the NFL would be taking yourself off the field.

Lions just need to extend him and give him a big signing bonus. Sign him for 600k for two more years. He gets 520,000 bonus next year on top of his rookie deal, then 600,000 for following season. This is the way most 2nd contracts work in cfl, except on way smaller scale. (Your making 100k, your now a 150k guy, when u extend your bonus covers the difference)

660,000 US is max UDFA get in NFL though with almost no signing bonus.

I think mike Reilly was getting 750,000. So might need to be more. We would have to cut half the team.

[Qman]

Casey Printers could be a cautionary tale for Rourke while Warren Moon could be an excellent example to try to follow.

Ricky Ray, Henry Burris, Dave Dickenson. Though each of those had somewhat better success when they came back north than Casey did. But none of them barely even got to practice down there.

Burris actually had a start - against the Bucs SB winning D of that season - not surprising he did not fare to well ... but that was many moons ago.

ZERO NFL interest in ANY CFL QBs lately (outside of a running QB Strevler); don't see this changing for Roukre - regardless of how well he does in the CFL.

Bo Levi Mitchell and Reilly turned down deals. The new nfl UDFA salary structure and limited bonuses. are similar to cfl starter money and cfl $ it’s pretty well guaranteed. I think Bo was making same if not more in Calgary at the time.

[Hambone]

Lions just need to extend him and give him a big signing bonus. Sign him for 600k for two more years. He gets 520,000 bonus next year on top of his rookie deal, then 600,000 for following season. This is the way most 2nd contracts work in cfl, except on way smaller scale. (Your making 100k, your now a 150k guy, when u extend your bonus covers the difference)

660,000 US is max UDFA get in NFL though with almost no signing bonus.

I think mike Reilly was getting 750,000. So might need to be more. We would have to cut half the team.

The CBA is very clear on one aspect but vague on the rest. It's very clear that as a 1st/2nd round draft pick his base salary for the 3rd year can only be a max of his 2nd year salary ($65000) + 10% = $71500. Bonuses allowed in the first 2 years are max $7500 sign OR housing allowance and $7500 for playing 50%+1 offensive or defensive stats. What isn't clear is if a significant signing bonus beyond what is allowable in the first 2 years can be offered. CBA doesn't seem to clearly indicate if it can but also doesn't clearly indicate that it can't.

[B.C.FAN]

The CBA is very clear on one aspect but vague on the rest. It's very clear that as a 1st/2nd round draft pick his base salary for the 3rd year can only be a max of his 2nd year salary ($65000) + 10% = $71500. Bonuses allowed in the first 2 years are max $7500 sign OR housing allowance and $7500 for playing 50%+1 offensive or defensive stats. What isn't clear is if a significant signing bonus beyond what is allowable in the first 2 years can be offered. CBA doesn't seem to clearly indicate if it can but also doesn't clearly indicate that it can't.

The CBA is clear that draft picks must sign 3-year first contracts with maximum payments each year. What’s not clear, at least to me, is whether teams can extend a player by signing a second contract before the final year expires, as they can with other player contracts. If they can, then the Lions could offer Rourke an extension at a competitive CFL QB salary after this season, or even sooner.

[Toppy Vann]

It's too bad that he passes for 400 yards in the first half of a game (and plays great overall) and it fuels up this NFL interest narrative which piled on top of his crappy contract due to the CBA just adds fuel to the fire.

Not at all helpful to the marketing of the team or the CFL when these articles appear on 3 Down etc as a storyline.

Too bad they can't just ignore that until he brings it up or the season is over and they can write endlessly as to which teams down south are interested in him.

I see that Chris Streveler is not about to be in the CFL as he's pursuing 6 more games to get NFL pension benefits. I had wondered why he hadn't come back.

[maxlion]

At the end of the day, CFL salaries can't compete with NFL salaries no matter how much a team offers.

Rourke's start is the best start to a career for a CFL QB in generations. With a couple of years of development in the NFL, who knows what his ceiling is. The sky is the limit. I wouldn't be surprised to see him as a starting QB in the NFL. I would be very surprised to see him in the CFL next year. Enjoy it while it lasts.

[cromartie]

At the end of the day, CFL salaries can't compete with NFL salaries no matter how much a team offers.

Rourke's start is the best start to a career for a CFL QB in generations. With a couple of years of development in the NFL, who knows what his ceiling is. The sky is the limit. I wouldn't be surprised to see him as a starting QB in the NFL. I would be very surprised to see him in the CFL next year. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Nah. I think that experience with the Giants asking him to move to WR is enough to make him think twice about this type of move.

No one is signing him to start. And if they aren't signing him to start, he shouldn't go.

[Toppy Vann]

At the end of the day, CFL salaries can't compete with NFL salaries no matter how much a team offers.

Rourke's start is the best start to a career for a CFL QB in generations. With a couple of years of development in the NFL, who knows what his ceiling is. The sky is the limit. I wouldn't be surprised to see him as a starting QB in the NFL. I would be very surprised to see him in the CFL next year. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Nah. I think that experience with the Giants asking him to move to WR is enough to make him think twice about this type of move.

No one is signing him to start. And if they aren't signing him to start, he shouldn't go.

I hadn't heard of the Giants asking him to move to WR which I agree he'd not likely do as he is pretty definitely wanting to play QB versus just make the NFL bucks.

The issue for Nathan Rourke likely will come down to how strong he is driven to fulfill his NFL dream.

An agent would no doubt advise to think of how much he could make even if he stays an NFL backup and doesn't play a down of live fire game action.

Some players are fine with that as it's a very decent living and you get hurt less.
Is Nathan Rourke open to that thinking?
Possibly not and definitely not at this early stage of what's looking like a fun, successful start in pro football.

There are some QBs who form strong attachments to Canada and the CFL and who make great starter money who aren't thinking NFL and for CFL fans we can only hope that is Nathan Rourke. BUT it's a business and these guys have to think these options through as it can be pretty tough to ignore the big bucks.

[Qman]

The CBA is very clear on one aspect but vague on the rest. It's very clear that as a 1st/2nd round draft pick his base salary for the 3rd year can only be a max of his 2nd year salary ($65000) + 10% = $71500. Bonuses allowed in the first 2 years are max $7500 sign OR housing allowance and $7500 for playing 50%+1 offensive or defensive stats. What isn't clear is if a significant signing bonus beyond what is allowable in the first 2 years can be offered. CBA doesn't seem to clearly indicate if it can but also doesn't clearly indicate that it can't.

The CBA is clear that draft picks must sign 3-year first contracts with maximum payments each year. What’s not clear, at least to me, is whether teams can extend a player by signing a second contract before the final year expires, as they can with other player contracts. If they can, then the Lions could offer Rourke an extension at a competitive CFL QB salary after this season, or even sooner.

#cfl teams extend players off their first deals all the time. That why they announce extensions, not re-signings

Usually in December, so they can use used cap space for bonus money.

https://www.bclions.com/2021/12/14/lion ... xtensions/