Rourke NFL workouts: chooses Jacksonville

[SammyGreene]

If Adam Shefter is tweeting about Nathan Rourke then the interest must be sky high. Will be very surprised if he doesn’t sign somewhere given the overall state of quarterbacking right now in the NFL. At least we have his CFL rights still in 2023 if it doesn’t work out.

Also good to know Vernon Adams is under contract for 2023.

BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke, who led the CFL this season in passer rating, is set to begin working out for NFL teams next week. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Rourke is from Ontario, played collegiately at Ohio, had a record 78.7 completion % last season, and now has NFL visits lined up.

[jmc24]

Farhan Lalji …

Rourke & his reps wanted to take
advantage of the @CFL's earlier
window to begin @NFL tryouts so
that they can spread the workouts
out more. The window opens Nov
21 & he has his first 2 teams
scheduled for 21-22. More than 2
dozen teams have inquired.

Rourke's foot is healthy
enough for him to throw. He won't
be expected to run a 40 or those
type of drills. The situation he's
looking for is a realistic
opportunity to compete for a #2
job & healthy guarantee of 1st
year salary. Hope to have a NFLI
CFL decision made by Jan

[cromartie]

The situation he'slooking for is a realistic opportunity to compete for a #2 job & healthy guarantee of 1st year salary.

Good luck, kid.

Sincerely,

Logan Woodside

[B.C.FAN]

Rourke certainly sounds like his first choice is to sign with an NFL team for 2023. I’m not sure that’s in his best interest but if he gets one good offer it will be hard for him to turn it down. Here’s more from TSN:

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/bc-lions-qb-nath ... -1.1878536

[maxlion]

There are two reasons why Rourke should sign in the NFL if a decent opportunity arises:

1. He has already proven that he can dominate in the CFL.
2. He is 24 years old.

His age combined with his talent is his greatest asset. He would have nothing to prove by coming back to the CFL. He would just be another year older. In the short life expectancy of a pro athlete, every year counts.

[Toppy Vann]

Rourke certainly sounds like his first choice is to sign with an NFL team for 2023. I’m not sure that’s in his best interest but if he gets one good offer it will be hard for him to turn it down. Here’s more from TSN:

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/bc-lions-qb-nath ... -1.1878536

IF Rourke gets a good offer and takes I normally side with the view that it might not be in his best interests longer term using the likes of Warren Moon as an example. Times have changed as has the CFL since Moon's days here.

I think his last game doesn't overshadow the games he played this year pre-injury where he played great and had the W's and stats to prove it. His upside is what a team might bet on.


I had hoped Nathan Rourke a Canadian would be another US-trained college QB who decided to make a career here in the CFL but I don't view him negatively for starting these tryouts now.



On the plus side of taking a good offer in the NFL is:

1. Money is well in excess of a CFL QB contract and a pension if you last long enough.
Chris Streveller sure put it out there to get his pension time in the NFL. We know he liked the CFL also so it wasn't that he hated it here.

2. He can always come back to the CFL where he'd have no issue getting a good contract as he's young.
In fact, his age and being single doesn't make his decision to exit south tough unlike a married player with kids who now has others to think of.

3. You never know how long you're injury-free and careers can be fleeting.

4. QBing in the NFL right now is not deemed to be at it's highest levels in years.

5. He can see that BLM when he finally had a chance to look south didn't see the grass greener there and didn't pursue an NFL dream.


Going forward it looks like Bo Levi Mitchell would find it not hard to sign with the Ticats based on how Dave Naylor and Matt Dunigan sum it up.

Hadn't thought that a factor might be easier to win in the east but that makes sense.

But it's not over in the Bo sweepstakes unless he agrees to a contract before free agency. I figured the Riders would be pulling out all stops to land him.

I also suspect that Bo was told in advance of this trade as I doubt they'd spring it on him even though it's an early benefit to him to be able to start early.

[Toppy Vann]

Rourke certainly sounds like his first choice is to sign with an NFL team for 2023. I’m not sure that’s in his best interest but if he gets one good offer it will be hard for him to turn it down. Here’s more from TSN:

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/bc-lions-qb-nath ... -1.1878536

IF Rourke gets a good offer and takes I normally side with the view that it might not be in his best interests longer term using the likes of Warren Moon as an example. Times have changed as has the CFL since Moon's days here.

I think his last game doesn't overshadow the games he played this year pre-injury where he played great and had the W's and stats to prove it. His upside is what a team might bet on.


I had hoped Nathan Rourke a Canadian would be another US-trained college QB who decided to make a career here in the CFL but I don't view him negatively for starting these tryouts now.



On the plus side of taking a good offer in the NFL is:

1. Money is well in excess of a CFL QB contract and a pension if you last long enough.
Chris Streveller sure put it out there to get his pension time in the NFL. We know he liked the CFL also so it wasn't that he hated it here.

2. He can always come back to the CFL where he'd have no issue getting a good contract as he's young.
In fact, his age and being single doesn't make his decision to exit south tough unlike a married player with kids who now has others to think of.

3. You never know how long you're injury-free and careers can be fleeting.

4. QBing in the NFL right now is not deemed to be at it's highest levels in years.

5. He can see that BLM when he finally had a chance to look south didn't see the grass greener there and didn't pursue an NFL dream.


Going forward it looks like Bo Levi Mitchell would find it not hard to sign with the Ticats based on how Dave Naylor and Matt Dunigan sum it up.

Hadn't thought that a factor might be easier to win in the east but that makes sense.

But it's not over in the Bo sweepstakes unless he agrees to a contract before free agency. I figured the Riders would be pulling out all stops to land him.

I also suspect that Bo was told in advance of this trade as I doubt they'd spring it on him even though it's an early benefit to him to be able to start early.

The Lions could put the NFL QB who's never lost playing outside the USA on their NEG LIST NOW as he had this to say recently:


If Nathan Rourke's going then make a trade for this guy:

“I think the fact that I’m undefeated outside the U.S., I’m hoping I can get to go play in the CFL at some point and really see what I can make of myself up there because things have gone pretty well outside the country.”

“He’s (Doug Flutie) a former teammate and hero of mine”... always said great things [about the CFL.]”



https://3downnation.com/2022/11/15/nfl- ... l-success/

[Toppy Vann]

What Nathan Rourke would get in the CFL in money is less than what Sam Darnold gets over US$7 million lol.

Tough decision if he gets a good offer from the NFL


Mike Beamish Tweet in response to a tweet that said:

BREAKING: This guy you’ve never heard of is about to be a career backup

--------------

Replying to @DemonTimeJmo

Mike Beamish
@sixbeamers
·
5h

Average annual salary of NFL backup QBs (October, 2022): Such a depressing life.
Sam Darnold, CAR$7,561,929
Mitch Trubisky, PIT$7,142,500
Jimmy Garoppolo, SF$7,000,000
Teddy Bridgewater, MIA$6,500,000
Case Keenum, BUF$6,000,000
Tyrod Taylor, NYG$5,500,000

[B.C.FAN]

Here’s a 10-minute video Rourke’s media availability today:

[ddanny]

Sounds like he wants the same situation as when he came here under Mike R to learn from and hopefully get a shot when he is needed to I say he is looking to be a back up in the NFL
My gut feeling guys is he is won’t be back to talented does not have a attitude like Casey Printers did .

[OV:54-40]

Can't blame the kid one bit for jumping at a shot at NFL buck$ & prestige.

I just hope he is wise enough to sign with a team with real interest and real need at QB - there are quite a few in that boat I think? Little doubt in my mind he could be an NFL starter in the right situation; or a back-up making tons of ca$h, with a next man up hope. Signed as little respect TC fodder would be a mistake though.

As everyone knows/says - can always return to the CFL if need be.

[ddanny]

Just read this from the province from nathen Rourke

Rourke said he didn’t know what that NFL opportunity actually looks like, beyond having a chance at playing time. The idea of being a practice-squad quarterback or a clipboard-holding No. 3 doesn’t doesn’t appeal to him.

[cromartie]

Well I guess we're going to have to deal with this topic again.

First, it's worth it to look at his NFL equivalent talent wise, and that means I'm going to have to do some bubble bursting.

Rourke's talent level is the equivalent of Logan Woodside, however he grew up on the Canadian game and, as such, he didn't need the year it takes his American peers to adjust to the Canadian game.

So what happens to guys who go undrafted, with arm strength limitations but leadership ability (Woodside, unlike Rourke, actually won the MAC) out of a non Power Five conference. Well you...

Go undrafted and get a token tryout.
Get cut.
Go play in an alternate league.
Get signed to a tryout with another NFL team.
Make the team and earn a base salary in the $700k range. (Everyone Beamish cites has NFL starter's experience, hence the salary and Rourke isn't as talented as any of them).
Serve as a backup for your first year, getting zero game reps during the regular season.
If you're lucky do the same thing in Year Two.
When year three comes around, the team you're on drafts someone else (in Tennessee's case, that's Malik Willis) and you are relegated to the $90k per year practice squad.

At the end of this, you haven't taken meaningful reps in three seasons and are out of a job.

If you think someone pursuing this career path not named Dave Dickenson is then going to come back to Canada and waltz into a top tier CFL job without missing a beat, you're kidding yourself. It doesn't take very long to get through a list of QBs who tried this career path and came back to Canada and fell flat on their face.

And that's the best option out there and assumes you go to a franchise with a stable coaching staff that has a degree of on field success. What's far more likely is you end up looking like a fool like Ben Sankey in Houston and ruining your opportunities in both leagues. If you're really, really lucky, you might squeeze in a few games as a starter for someone like the Rams whose offensive line walks out with red capes on to wave defenders past and get pummeled while everyone else looks for the exit.

Is Rourke better than the Giants evaluation of him which is 'we'd like to move you to receiver'? Yes. Is he better than the 'perfectly serviceable NFL back up?' No.

So what happens to those guys? They sit around for two years waiting to be replaced while their skill set and decision making capabilities erode from a lack of practice and game reps while losing their ability to manage said skills within a Canadian context. Spoiler alert: many franchises don't want to be on the hook to make a pension contribution in perpetuity for a guy who never took a snap for them. So good luck getting that third year in.

Or you can stick around and be the toast of Vancouver. BLM made that choice and had a nice decade in Calgyra and he'll finish out his career leading Hamilton to an EDF appearance next year, while banking enough to have not quite a comfortable retirement but enough that he can see it from there.
****
What does this do to the Lions? Well, we still have VA under contract and enough bodies coming back to make next year the same, more or less, as this one..host the WSF at home and win, then go back to Winnipeg and lose. Which is the real tragedy in these situations, but it is what it is.

[Toppy Vann]

Cromartie's insights would be edifying if read by Nathan Rourke. However, hopefully, he's got good advisors and possibly he should consider reaching out to the likes of Dave Dickenson, Jeff Garcia, Henry Burris, Doug Flutie or even Warren Moon for a player perspective. Not that he shouldn't or wouldn't make his own sound decisions.


It sounds from the video that Nathan Rourke has not actually spent a lot of time thinking about the NFL beyond high-level things like this:

1. fulfilling a dream of showing his skills and getting a chance on a decent, good fit offer as that was not there post-university.

2. doing it quickly to not leave BC in the lurch.

Rick Campbell like Dave Dickenson and Jon Hufnagel with Bo Levi Mitichell sound supportive of Rourke likely knowing he's astute and will make a good decision.

Dave Dickenson was publicly open in speaking about supporting Bo Levi Mitchell's dabbling with the NFL decision knowing he'd not be stupid.

Bo made a good call but IIRC he was already married and happily resident in Calgary unlike the 24-year-old Nathan Rourke who - other than being a Canadian - has it far easier in his personal life to move anywhere he thinks there's a good NFL situation for him. Tougher with a wife / child / house and a good contract in the CFL. Rourke may be able to move cities and countries in a few days lol

Timing for Nathan Rourke to give it a shot is now except for the injury that derailed what was looking to be the best ever statistical season in the CFL bar none.

Just watched the end of the CFL's all time greatest catches and Burnham at no. 6 seems a bit low in the standings for the degree of difficulty and how spectacular it was. Anthony Cavillo sure had some great Cahoon and SJ Green catches based on overthrown/errant passes lol

[OV:54-40]

CFL & BC Lions fans can hope the NFL super experts continue to be dismissive of a lot of top CFL talent, and QB is # 1 on their no like list. Still doesn't mean Rourke won't get a real, serious look from an NFL team in need, but not guaranteed at all there. The NFL geniuses already wrote him off as a good QB prospect out of college ball, and they don't give a rat's @$$ about outstanding CFL QB play.

The notion that Rourke would likely only be a "serviceable" NFL back-up level QB talent should be laughable to anyone who saw him play in the CFL this year; his passing arm - strength & accuracy, plus poise and vision were outstanding; and that was without putting his superior QB running skills to use much (see what young QB Fields is doing for the Bears this year). I'm sure there were all kinds of doubters who scoffed at Warren Moon's NFL prospects to be a starting QB there; but Moon had Hugh Campbell in his corner down there to ensure he would be taken seriously.