Tag: CFL

Former Michigan QB Shea Patterson signs with new CFL team

He’s gonna kill it there! #GoBlue

Shea Patterson has been around the block once or twice since his time in Ann Arbor. And even before that.

The former five-star who was named the MVP of the 2016 Army All-American Bowl started at Ole Miss before transferring to Michigan football two years later. He never quite reached the height of his fame on the field and ultimately went undrafted. He signed a free-agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs out of college, but that didn’t stick. He headed to the CFL and played for the Montreal Alouettes. He had a stint in the startup, The Spring League, and then was the first overall draft pick by the expansion USFL. He began with the Michigan Panthers before being traded to the New Orleans Breakers.

Now Patterson is on the move again, heading back to the Canadian Football League. He was signed on Monday by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

According to the Roughriders’ roster, Patterson will not be the only Michigan alumnus on hand; former Wolverines cornerback Jeremy Clark is also a part of the team.

In Ann Arbor, Patterson threw for 5,661 yards in two seasons, with his 3,061 in 2019 being the third-most in a single season by any Michigan quarterback. In the period between The Spring League and the USFL, Patterson briefly returned as a grad assistant with the Michigan strength and conditioning program.

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Jaguars’ newly signed QB Nathan Rourke undergoes foot surgery

Nathan Rourke had a plate and screws surgically removed from his foot Monday.

Former Canadian Football League star and newly signed Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nathan Rourke underwent surgery Monday to have a plate and screws removed from his foot, according to TSN’s Farhan Lalji.

Rourke, 24, is a Victoria, Canada native, but played collegiately for the Ohio Bobcats. After trying out at wide receiver for the New York Giants, Rourke joined the CFL’s BC Lions. During the 2022 season, Rourke was one of the most prolific passers in the CFL, finishing the year with a 78.7 completion percentage and 25 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

After a lengthy tour of interested NFL teams that reportedly included 12 stops, Rourke chose to join the Jaguars.

“There were teams that made some offers, but ultimately, the situation and the prospect of helping the team out and being able to compete for a number two job was best in Jacksonville,” Rourke told 3DownNation earlier in January. “Ultimately, we made the decision that we did because the goal is to be an NFL quarterback and an NFL starter, I think this is a good first step in that direction.”

In his first season in the CFL, Rourke suffered a Lisfranc injury that required surgery to repair. The rehab of his latest injury will reportedly be handled by the Jaguars medical staff and Rourke plans to move to Jacksonville next month.

Chad Kelly seeking another chance in the NFL

“I truly regret a lot of decisions I’ve made and self-sabotage, but I’ve grown from that,” QB Chad Kelly said.

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Chad Kelly is still dreaming of a potential return from the NFL.

Kelly, who spent time with the Indianapolis Colts on their practice squad from 2019-2020, suggested in December that he could be the answer the Broncos have been seeking at quarterback.

Denver seems very unlikely to bring Kelly back, but he might get an opportunity elsewhere. The journeyman quarterback played in the Canadian Football League in 2022, coming off the bench in the CFL’s championship game to lead the Toronto Argonauts to a comeback victory.

Before signing with the CFL, Kelly spent time as an offensive coach at East Mississippi Community College and built weight rooms for Wilder Fitness.

Kelly indicated in a recent interview with Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post that he wants to start, and if that can’t happen in the NFL, he’s open to staying in Canada or switching to the XFL or USFL. Still, his ultimate goal is to get back into the NFL.

“I was born to want to play in the NFL,” Kelly told Glasspiegel. “I wanted to see Uncle Jim’s playbooks since I was a kid. As a young kid, I was blessed to be able to throw the ball 71 yards. I could dissect defenses when I was 12 or 13.”

Kelly was selected by Denver with the final pick in the 2017 NFL draft, giving him the nickname “Mr. Irrelevant.”

During his second season, Kelly was arrested on suspension of criminal trespassing in October 2018 and he was promptly cut by the Broncos. He wants a chance to prove to coaches that the incidents of his past are behind him.

“I just want that chance to talk to these NFL coaches and say, ‘I know I can bring something to the table. I know I have the ability. You might believe that I did dumb things, but I’m not a dumb person.’

“I truly regret a lot of decisions I’ve made and self-sabotage, but I’ve grown from that. Unless they feel my sincerity in my voice and my presence, then they can still write me off as that same kid when I was acting like a fool.”

Kelly, 28, has played in just one regular-season game in the NFL, coming in for a kneel-down as a backup for Denver in 2018.

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CFL QB Nathan Rourke, who tried out for Broncos in December, signs with Jaguars

CFL QB Nathan Rourke, who tried out for the Broncos and 11 other teams this winter, plans to sign with the Jaguars.

Nathan Rourke is jumping from the CFL to the NFL, but not with the Denver Broncos.

Rourke (6-1, 210 pounds) tried out for the Broncos last month, but he has chosen to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars instead, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. After an impressive season in Canada last spring, Rourke tried out for a dozen NFL teams during the 2022 season.

Rourke scored 32 touchdowns (25 passing and seven rushing) in ten games with the BC Lions in 2022.

Rourke is one of three quarterbacks who tried out for Denver last month, joining Jarrett Guarantano (who signed to the practice squad) and veteran Joshua Dobbs. Guarantano was promoted to the active roster late in the season and he is scheduled to become an exclusive rights free agent in March.

If the Broncos place an ERFA tender on Guarantano, he will become the team’s second QB under contract for 2023, joining Russell Wilson. Denver’s backup, Brett Rypien, is set to become an unrestricted free agent this spring. Backup QB will be a position of need for the Broncos this offseason.

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CFL star QB Nathan Rourke to sign with Jaguars

The former BC Lions quarterback visited 12 NFL teams before choosing to sign with the Jaguars.

Nathan Rourke of the Canadian Football League’s BC Lions plans to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars where he hopes to become Trevor Lawrence’s backup, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Rourke, 24, was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian for the 2022 season after completing 78.7 percent of his passes with 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He was named a Top Performer of the Week five times and Top Performer of the Month twice.

After the CFL season ended for the Lions, Rourke went on a lengthy tour of interested NFL teams, reportedly visiting 12 of them, including the Raiders, Broncos, Giants, and Browns.

In Jacksonville, there’s no chance Rourke climbs to the top spot on the depth chart by beating out Lawrence for the job. Instead, he’ll be looking for the No. 2 spot in 2023 and beyond.

C.J. Beathard is currently the second quarterback for the Jaguars, but he’s due to become a free agent in the offseason. In two seasons in Jacksonville, Beathard has only appeared in clean-up duty, throwing 13 total passes. He previously spent four years with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Jaguars also have rookie E.J. Perry on the practice squad, a former Boston College and Brown quarterback who had one touchdown and three interceptions in preseason.

Chiefs to host BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke for tryout

The #Chiefs are hosting the 2022 CFL Most Outstanding Canadian — BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke — for a tryout on Monday.

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to host several players for tryouts now that they’re permitted to sign players on reserve/future contracts.

On Monday, they’ll have the 2022 CFL Most Outstanding Canadian in town for a tryout. According to TSN’s Farhan Lalji, the Chiefs are set to have BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke in for a tryout today. Rourke has already visited a few NFL teams including the Jaguars, Vikings and Bengals.

Rourke, 24, went undrafted out of Ohio University in the 2021 NFL draft, but he was a second-round pick in the CFL draft in 2020. The CFL canceled their 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so he didn’t play.

In May of 2021, Rourke signed a three-year contract with the BC Lions. He wasn’t a starter in his first season, but he debuted as a starter in June of 2022. He’d go on to set a CFL single-season record, completing 78.7 percent of his passes during the 2022 season with 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. It’s even more impressive when you consider that he missed a portion of the season with a foot injury. Rourke finished the year with an 8-1 record as a starter with the BC Lions.

According to Lalji, Rourke has two more tryouts scheduled for this week, so if the Chiefs want him for the 2023 offseason, they’ll have to get a deal done sooner-than-later.

Why would Kansas City be working out a quarterback? Firstly, they need someone to throw to players like WR Slade Bolden, who is also in town for a tryout on Monday. Secondly, if Chad Henne retires following the 2022 NFL season, you’re going to want to bring in as much competition as possible to push for the No. 2 quarterback job.

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Broncos tried out 3 players this week, including 2 from the CFL

The Broncos appear to be scouting the CFL for reserve/future contract candidates.

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton continues scouting Canada for diamonds in the rough.

The Broncos worked out three players on Tuesday, including two from the Canadian Football League: wide receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker and defensive back Tyrell Ford.

Schaffer-Baker (6-4, 195 pounds) spent the last two seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, catching 115 passes for 1,523 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

Ford (5-11, 194 pounds) was a special teams player for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this spring, totaling 10 tackles.

In addition to those two CFL players, Denver also tried out defensive back Delonte Hood (5-11, 192 pounds). The rookie out of Peru State signed with the practice squad after Tuesday’s workout.

Schaffer-Baker and Ford are the fifth and sixth CFL players to work out for the team over the last two months, joining quarterback Nathan Rourke, tight end Jevon Cottoy, and wide receivers Jaelon Acklin and Kaion Julien-Grant.

NFL teams can sign players who are not on an active roster to reserve/future contracts once the season ends. Those players officially join the 90-man offseason roster when the NFL’s new league year begins in March.

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Report: Vikings bring in CFL star QB Nathan Rourke for a workout

The Vikings do need a quarterback to groom behind Kirk Cousins

The Minnesota Vikings have a history of bringing in players from the Canadian Football League, more specifically quarterbacks.

Bud Grant did so with Joe Kapp and they brought it Bo Levi Mitchell in 2018 but ended up parting ways when he came in with the intention of winning the starting job.

The Vikings are looking to potentially do the same thing. 3 Down Nation’s Justin Dunk is reporting that the Vikings brought in CFL star quarterback Nathan Rourke for a workout and a visit.

Here is what Dunk had to say about Rourke.

“The 24-year-old is coming off a sensational season in the CFL during which he completed 78.7 percent of his pass attempts for 3,349 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also ran the football 39 times for 304 yards and seven scores, becoming the first quarterback to win the league’s Most Outstanding Canadian award since 1980.

The six-foot-two, 209-pound passer was a three-year starter at Ohio University from 2017-2019 where he threw for 7,457 yards with 60 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. He also recorded 425 carries for 2,634 yards and 49 scores along the ground but received a small amount of NFL interest coming out of the NCAA.”

A native of British Columbia, Rourke is a dual-threat quarterback that has a bright future ahead of him and is looking to make the jump to the NFL. Multiple teams have already brought him in for a visit, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts. The last quarterback to make the jump successfully from the CFL to the NFL and have sustained success was Jeff Garcia, who started for multiple teams over a long NFL career.

The Vikings do need a backup quarterback for next season and Rourke could end up being the future if they think he has that kind of future, which if his CFL performance has told us anything, it’s that he does.

Edmonton Elks’ Christian Saulsberry fatally shot in Memphis

Edmonton Elks player Christian Saulsberry was fatally shot in Memphis

Edmonton Elks wide receiver and kick returner Christian Saulsberry was shot and killed in Memphis on Saturday.

According to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department, Saulsberry was shot in the leg and abdomen while at a birthday party.

He turned 25 on Monday.

The team released a statement:

EARLY SATURDAY MORNING, THE EDMONTON ELKS WERE DEVASTATED TO LEARN OF THE DEATH OF RUNNING BACK CHRISTIAN SAULSBERRY AFTER HE WAS SHOT IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO HIS FAMILY DURING THIS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TIME. OUR CONDOLENCES ARE ALSO EXTENDED TO HIS FRIENDS, INCLUDING THE MANY TEAMMATES AND COACHES BOTH HERE IN EDMONTON AND ELSEWHERE, THAT HE IMPACTED THROUGHOUT HIS FOOTBALL CAREER.

CHRISTIAN’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR FOOTBALL TEAM BOTH ON THE FIELD AND IN OUR LOCKER ROOM WERE SIGNIFICANT DURING HIS ONE SEASON WITH THE GREEN AND GOLD. HIS POSITIVITY AND ENERGY FOR LIFE WILL BE DEARLY MISSED.

Saulsberry, a native of South Haven, Miss., played in eight games for Edmonton in 2022.  In his lone CFL season, Saulsberry was a return specialist for the Elks. He had 635 yards on kickoff returns and 235 punt return yards.

Saulsberry was a two-time All Gulf South Conference selection at West Alabama, where he led the team with 1,223 all-purpose yards during his senior season in 2019.

5 players tried out for the Broncos this week

Broncos tried out five players earlier this week, including tight end Ricky Seals-Jones.

The Denver Broncos tried out five players — two wide receivers, two tight ends and a quarterback — on Tuesday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.

The quarterback was Ohio’s Nathan Rourke, who spent the last two years playing in the CFL. He scored 32 touchdowns in 10 games with the BC Lions this spring.

The wide receivers were Jaelon Acklin of Western Illinois and St. Francis Xavier’s Kaion Julien-Grant. Both receivers have spent the last three years playing in the CFL.

The tight ends were San Diego State’s Kahale Warring and Texas A&M’s Ricky Seals-Jones. Warring has spent time with six NFL teams and he was recently selected by the DC Defenders for the XFL’s upcoming spring season.

Seals-Jones is the most notable player among last week’s tryouts. He has played with four NFL teams, hauling in 90 receptions for 1,044 yards with 10 touchdowns in 54 career games (15 starts).

These five players are likely being considered as end-of-season reserve/future contract candidates. Denver will sign players to reserve/future contracts at the end of the regular season in January.

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