Nathan Rourke Waived by Jacksonville Jaguars

[South Pender]

Nathan Rourke was waived today by the Jacksonville Jaguars on the NFL's deadline day for the 53-player initial rosters. This leaves the Jags with QB1 Trevor Lawrence and QB2 C.J. Beathard. If he clears waivers, Rourke is expected to be added to the team's practice squad. Teams have a short time to list their 16-player practice squads and can begin signing players to the PS tomorrow. I gather that the NFL's new 3rd emergency QB rule requires that such a player be on the 53-man squad, not on the practice squad. NFL rosters are still in a state of flux, and so we'll have to wait a little to see how this all plays out for Rourke. His hope, I guess, was to make the 53-man initial squad as ideally QB2, but C.J. Beathard, with his NFL experience, was obviously the team's preference for QB2. Beathard was a 3rd-round draft pick of the 49ers in 2017 (and, less importantly, had a strong NFL family pedigree--grandfather Washington GM Bobby Beathard and grand uncle long-serving NFL QB Pete Beathard), and so came into the NFL with a far stronger resume than did Rourke. It's still early days re NFL rosters, which will continue to churn some, and Rourke, while waived or if later on the practice squad, could be plucked off the Jags' PS by another team.

[Hambone]

Lots of juggling to happen still. Today's 53 man rosters are by no means the 53 man rosters teams will report for Wk 1. Often teams make these initial decisions based on how best to protect their assets. Guys on the 53 could wind up on the PR or IR and vice versa when it comes time to declare their Wk 1 roster. QBs are the best bets to go unclaimed because they have so much more to learn before they can be given the reins of the offense. They guy they would replace has been working with the coaches and offensive system since before first mini-camp. The newcomer would be starting from scratch.

Some things to keep in mind re: waiver process.

1) It is not 1st come, 1st serve.
2) Teams must submit the names of the players they wish to add to their ACTIVE roster.
3) If more than 1 team claims the same player he goes thru the waiver priority process and goes to the team with highest priority. Today that priority is based on reverse order of last seasons standings meaning Chicago gets highest claim priority.
4) To add a player thru waiver claim a team must waive somebody on their 53 to make room making it effectively a 1 for 1 trade.
5) Once the waiver claim process has been completed all unclaimed players become free agents. Not until then can Jacksonville offer Rourke a spot on their PR.

[South Pender]

Lots of juggling to happen still. Today's 53 man rosters are by no means the 53 man rosters teams will report for Wk 1. Often teams make these initial decisions obased on how best to protect their assets. QBs are the best bets to go unclaimed because they have so much more to learn before they can be given the reins of the offense. They guy they would replace has been working with the coaches and offensive system since before first mini-camp. The newcomer would be starting from scratch.

Yes, absolutely true, but pretty hard to see Rourke making the 53 now unless the Jags want him as a 3rd emergency QB. I think it was always a very long shot that he'd make it as QB2. Still, we'll just have to wait and see.

[Hambone]

Lots of juggling to happen still. Today's 53 man rosters are by no means the 53 man rosters teams will report for Wk 1. Often teams make these initial decisions obased on how best to protect their assets. QBs are the best bets to go unclaimed because they have so much more to learn before they can be given the reins of the offense. They guy they would replace has been working with the coaches and offensive system since before first mini-camp. The newcomer would be starting from scratch.

Yes, absolutely true, but pretty hard to see Rourke making the 53 now unless the Jags want him as a 3rd emergency QB. I think it was always a very long shot that he'd make it as QB2. Still, we'll just have to wait and see.

The way I understand that Jax must have an emergency #3. So if Rourke gets claimed they must sign somebody to fill that role for Wk1.

[OV:54-40]

Lots of juggling to happen still. Today's 53 man rosters are by no means the 53 man rosters teams will report for Wk 1. Often teams make these initial decisions obased on how best to protect their assets. QBs are the best bets to go unclaimed because they have so much more to learn before they can be given the reins of the offense. They guy they would replace has been working with the coaches and offensive system since before first mini-camp. The newcomer would be starting from scratch.

Yes, absolutely true, but pretty hard to see Rourke making the 53 now unless the Jags want him as a 3rd emergency QB. I think it was always a very long shot that he'd make it as QB2. Still, we'll just have to wait and see.

The way I understand that Jax must have an emergency #3. So if Rourke gets claimed they must sign somebody to fill that role for Wk1.

Ok, I may be a bit confused by that new 3rd QB rule, but I believe teams are not compelled to have a 3rd emergency QB, but it's an option to declare a 3rd eligible, from the 53 but who would not count towards the game roster? Teams are still free to dress 3 (or more for that matter) QBs that count towards the 46 game roster? So if that is the case, it still means a team could decline that option and then possibly face the fiasco the 49ers faced in the play-off last year - which was the reason for making the new rule ? And the emergency QB can only enter the game if injury strikes the first two, and then must leave the game if either of the first 2 are declared medically fit to return; so the emergency QB can't just be a relief pitcher option if the first 2 suck in the game ... ???

[cromartie]

I’ll spare you my shocked face.

That said, he could and should one a job somewhere, if there is justice. I would question others assertion that he outplayed Beathard but frankly I’d rather have chosen Rourke in evaluating the two when considering the roster building exercise of building out a roster. This is the best I’ve ever seen Beathard play.

[Toppy Vann]

I’ll spare you my shocked face.

That said, he could and should one a job somewhere, if there is justice. I would question others assertion that he outplayed Beathard but frankly I’d rather have chosen Rourke in evaluating the two when considering the roster building exercise of building out a roster. This is the best I’ve ever seen Beathard play.

Farhan intimates several things here:

1. Rourke believed he could compete for no. 2.
2. Beathard is close to Lawrence and this makes for a good QB room/situation vs Rourke who wants more. They clearly don't have a fight for #1.

If I understand Hambone's post once waivers are complete and if no one claims the player they are all free agents.


https://www.tsn.ca/nfl/nathan-rourke-to ... -1.2001679

[South Pender]

Lots of juggling to happen still. Today's 53 man rosters are by no means the 53 man rosters teams will report for Wk 1. Often teams make these initial decisions obased on how best to protect their assets. QBs are the best bets to go unclaimed because they have so much more to learn before they can be given the reins of the offense. They guy they would replace has been working with the coaches and offensive system since before first mini-camp. The newcomer would be starting from scratch.

Yes, absolutely true, but pretty hard to see Rourke making the 53 now unless the Jags want him as a 3rd emergency QB. I think it was always a very long shot that he'd make it as QB2. Still, we'll just have to wait and see.

The way I understand that Jax must have an emergency #3. So if Rourke gets claimed they must sign somebody to fill that role for Wk1.

Not required, but teams will be allowed to have a 3rd emergency QB. This new rule--or, more correctly, a revision of an earlier 3rd QB rule from the 1990s--is in response to the disastrous situation the 49ers found themselves in in last season's NFC Championship Game. It's not something most QBs would want, I would think, as their chances of playing would be almost nonexistent since they'd be allowed into a game only if the QB1 and QB2 both went down with an injury. Here's a little on the rule:

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-owners-pas ... e-days-wit

[TheLionKing]

This 3rd emergency QB rule is confusing. Is the quarterback part of the practice roster ?

[B.C.FAN]

This 3rd emergency QB rule is confusing. Is the quarterback part of the practice roster ?

It is confusing. As I understand it, the third quarterback would be part of the 53-man roster and thus receive full salary. He could dress for games without being counted toward the 46-man game-day roster but could only enter a game if the two other quarterbacks were injured and not cleared to return.

I can see some teams using the rule occasionally as an insurance policy if one or both of the regulars have nagging injuries, but not if both are healthy.

[B.C.FAN]

Rourke went unclaimed on waivers and is expected to sign a practice roster agreement in Jacksonville, according to Farhan Lalji.

https://x.com/farhanlaljitsn/status/169 ... gGjb_94D6A

[Hambone]

Yes, absolutely true, but pretty hard to see Rourke making the 53 now unless the Jags want him as a 3rd emergency QB. I think it was always a very long shot that he'd make it as QB2. Still, we'll just have to wait and see.

The way I understand that Jax must have an emergency #3. So if Rourke gets claimed they must sign somebody to fill that role for Wk1.

Ok, I may be a bit confused by that new 3rd QB rule, but I believe teams are not compelled to have a 3rd emergency QB, but it's an option to declare a 3rd eligible, from the 53 but who would not count towards the game roster? Teams are still free to dress 3 (or more for that matter) QBs that count towards the 46 game roster? So if that is the case, it still means a team could decline that option and then possibly face the fiasco the 49ers faced in the play-off last year - which was the reason for making the new rule ? And the emergency QB can only enter the game if injury strikes the first two, and then must leave the game if either of the first 2 are declared medically fit to return; so the emergency QB can't just be a relief pitcher option if the first 2 suck in the game ... ???

I now think you are correct which is supported by South Pender later. I always have taken the concept as mandatory as opposed to optional but so much of the media talk about Rourke "maybe" catching a PR spot and other waiver moves just didn't add up to support my mandatory belief.

[Blitz]

It looks like Rourke is signing to be on the Jaguars practice roster. Rourke could have signed to be on the practice roster of any NFL team who wanted him for that role.

Rourke thought he had a chance to challenge for the backup quarterback position in Jacksonville. But that was not the case. Beathard was slated in as the backup to begin training camp and that is where he was going to land when training camp was all over, no matter how well Rourke played.

There are a lot of aspects to decisions made in the NFL that are underneath the surface of things. Rourke will likely kick around down south hoping for a chance that may arrive but the odds are they never will.

I hoped for the best for Rourke down south and still do but the best odds are that he will return to the CFL one day and my hope is that team will be our Leos, who will still retain his rights.

[Hambone]

If things work as they did under the old NFL window rules BC will retain Rourke's rights only until what would be the expiry of the BC contract he was working under which would be the 2nd Tue in Feb 2024. After that he returns as a CFL FA free for anybody to sign.

[cromartie]

It looks like Rourke is signing to be on the Jaguars practice roster. Rourke could have signed to be on the practice roster of any NFL team who wanted him for that role.

Rourke thought he had a chance to challenge for the backup quarterback position in Jacksonville. But that was not the case. Beathard was slated in as the backup to begin training camp and that is where he was going to land when training camp was all over, no matter how well Rourke played.

There are a lot of aspects to decisions made in the NFL that are underneath the surface of things. Rourke will likely kick around down south hoping for a chance that may arrive but the odds are they never will.

I hoped for the best for Rourke down south and still do but the best odds are that he will return to the CFL one day and my hope is that team will be our Leos, who will still retain his rights.

There's only so much a team and a league can do to keep a player from making a stupid decision.

There was no purpose served by signing in Jacksonville. The writing was on the wall when they resigned Bethard to a multi-year deal and Burris wasn't invited to continue to be part of the coaching staff. Both of those things happened long before camp even opened.

The player is not served by taking a practice roster spot. He doesn't earn service time toward an NFL pension and there's a zero percent chance he gets any playing time in Jacksonville. Whatever agent he does have is doing him a disservice by keeping him in Jacksonville.

This was predictable. The league and the player had the opportunity to adequately compensate and market the best Canadian QB to come along since Russ Jackson, to an immense benefit to the player, the league and Canadian football in general. Since neither were willing to step forward, what we have is yet another Canadian player who will be judged as "not being good enough" for the NFL and the opportunity is gone. Whether it changes the Lions fortunes for the 2023 season or not is immiterial (it doesn't, and I don't blame the club, who has done nothing but manage this extremely well from a PR perspective). I hope that was worth $1 million to the player and the league.

Of course, in a league with a clown for a Commissioner, and a documented 40 year 90%+ failure rate of CFL QBs in the NFL this result is and was inevitable.