Former B.C. Lions QB Nathan Rourke claimed off waivers by New England Patriots

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Former B.C. Lions star quarterback Nathan Rourke is on the transfer, claimed by the New England Patriots off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars in accordance with the NFL Community’s Tom Pelissero.

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Rourke, 25, had spent a lot of this season on Jacksonville’s apply roster because the No. 3 quarterback on their depth chart. Rourke, who was born in Victoria and raised in Oakville, Ont., was activated by Jacksonville on Dec. 9 when there have been questions on an ankle damage to starter Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence suited up for a 23-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

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Jacksonville was waiving Rourke with the thought of placing him again on the apply roster once more.

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New England has struggled this season, sitting at 3-11 and having already been eradicated from post-season competition. Former first-round decide Mac Jones has already misplaced his beginning quarterback job to Bailey Zappe. Rourke turns into the eighth quarterback to hitch the Patriots roster this season.

The Patriots as a crew rank twenty fifth in landing passes and twenty ninth in passer score this season.

Rourke is clearly in a greater spot to compete for enjoying time than with Jacksonville, who’re 8-6 and have a franchise quarterback in Lawrence.

Rourke was robust within the pre-season for Jacksonville, together with a landing toss towards the Dallas Cowboys that made many spotlight reels. 

Rourke was the CFL’s Most Excellent Canadian in 2022, regardless of lacking eight video games with damage. He threw for 3,349 yards and 25 touchdowns, and likewise ran for 304 yards and 7 touchdowns.

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Rourke labored out with 12 NFL golf equipment after the season. Lions co-general supervisor Neil McEvoy stated all alongside that the Lions might give Rourke a “aggressive contract and significant reps,” if he opted to return for one more yr.

Rourke had led the Lions to an 8-1 begin in 2022 when it was introduced that he had suffered a Lisfranc sprain in his proper foot within the waning moments of a 28-10 win in Saskatchewan and it could require surgical procedure, placing him on the sidelines for a number of weeks.

He led the CFL in passing yardage (3,281) and landing passes (25) on the time and had been named one of many league’s prime three performers in six of these 9 weeks.

He got here again for the common season finale on Oct. 28, and guided the Lions to a win over the Calgary Stampeders within the West semifinals earlier than they fell to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers within the West last.

Even with lacking all that point, Rourke grew to become the primary quarterback to take Excellent Canadian honours since Gerry Dattilio of the Montreal Alouettes in 1980.

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