On Monday, the Patriots released quarterback Nathan Rourke, who traveled from Canada to the edge of the NFL and had many interesting twists in his journey. Now, the New York Giants have picked him up from waivers and will give him a contract. It will be interesting to see what role the Giants give Rourke when he is there.
He was briefly a quarterback in New England and was never on the active 53-man roster. Rourke started last season with the Jaguars, but he had foot surgery last January. He stayed with Jacksonville through camp and made a notable play in the NFL preseason by breaking tackles and throwing a touchdown against the Cowboys in August.
But Jacksonville moved him to the practice team and eventually released him completely in December. The Patriots picked him up immediately and put Rourke on the practice squad. They re-signed him in March but let him go this week.
Nathan Rourke was a standout in the Canadian Football League (CFL)
Rourke has an interesting background despite being only 25 years old and never throwing a pass in the NFL. Born in Canada, he played college football at Ohio and won the Jon Cornish Trophy for the best Canadian player in the NCAA twice. He was a top quarterback known for both passing and rushing, scoring 109 touchdowns in three years, 60 through the air and 49 on the ground. After college, he wasn't drafted by an NFL team but was selected in the second round by the BC Lions in the CFL. He ended up starting for the Lions in 2022 and set a record in the CFL with a 78.7% completion rate. Despite missing most of the season due to a Lisfranc injury that required foot surgery, Rourke was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player. His success in the CFL didn't entirely translate to the NFL, but Rourke has attracted attention in the league. He is a top athlete and before joining the CFL, he worked out for the New York Giants as a receiver.
Rourke has shown potential as an exhibition game standout. In three games in the 2023 preseason, he completed 23 of 35 passes for 348 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 39 yards and a touchdown, but he did lose possession of the ball twice. Patriots Rebuild Quarterback Depth The Patriots go into 2024 with a much different quarterback situation than much of 2023, when
struggled and
Bailey Zappe
didn't impress as his backup. Temporarily, Rourke was the third option for a team whose top two were at risk of leaving the league.
Now, Jones is with Jacksonville Mac Jones . Zappe is still there, but the starting competition will be between Jacoby Brissett and rookie Drake Maye, with Joe Milton as the third choice. This likely marks the end for Zappe, a fourth-round pick in 2022, who started eight games in two seasons with the Patriots. New England hasn't made a decision about Zappe yet, but it’s unlikely he will be on the team, even on the practice squad, next year. The Patriots released quarterback Nathan Rourke this week, but his former team, the Giants, quickly signed him up again.
Jones is gone to Jacksonville now. Zappe is still on hand, but the starting battle will be down to Jacoby Brissett and rookie Drake Maye, with sixth-round pick Joe Milton the third option.
That is likely to mean the end of the line for Zappe, who was a fourth-round pick in 2022 and made eight starts in two seasons with the Patriots. New England has not yet made a move on Zappe, but it’s a longshot that he will be on the roster, even the practice squad, next year.
