One year after dominating the CFL, Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke is trying to crack an NFL roster.
Rourke is in camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars, making appearances in two pre-season games so far. But Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson confirmed Saturday that C.J. Beathard — not Rourke — will begin the season as Trevor Lawerence's backup.
"I thought Nathan did well again today," Pederson said Saturday after a win over the Detroit Lions in which both Beathard and Rourke played. "A couple of touchdown drives again there, he's done a nice job and exactly what we asked him to do. (But) C.J. is our No. 2 and obviously Trevor our No. 1."
With Rourke now cemented as the No. 3 quarterback, the Jaguars will have to make a decision about the Victoria native's future in the organization.
Under a new rule for the 2023 season, NFL teams can designate a player as an emergency quarterback. But that role can only be given to a player on the 53-man roster and not to someone on the practice squad.
So, the Jaguars can either keep Rourke on the 53-man roster as the third quarterback or they can waive him to try to assign him to the practice squad, making him available for another team to claim. Pro Football Talk reports that only 12 teams carried three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster last season but it's unclear for now how the new rule will change how teams manage the most important position.
Rourke has completed 19 of his 29 passes for 274 yards and one touchdown in parts of two pre-season games so far. Last season Rourke was the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian after passing for 3,349 yards and 25 touchdowns in just 10 games.
"I just like his poise, his poise in the pocket," Pederson said when asked about his Canadian quarterback. "Accurate passer... And the toughness, the toughness aspect of it. He's not afraid to pull the ball down and run."
The Jaguars close the pre-season at home against the Dolphins on Aug. 26. The deadline for teams to trim rosters down to 53 players is Aug. 29 at 4 p.m. ET.
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