Tag: Nathan Rourke

Why the Jaguars waived preseason star Nathan Rourke

The Jaguars waived Nathan Rourke ahead of the 53-man roster cut deadline and opted to keep C.J. Beathard as the primary backup.

Jaguars quarterback Nathan Rourke’s play was one of the biggest highlights of Jacksonville’s preseason. However, he didn’t create enough buzz to stick on the 53-man roster.

While Rourke showcased his ability throughout the preseason, the No. 2 quarterback gig was C.J. Beathard’s to lose. After the Jaguars win against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 19, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said Beathard was doing exactly what he was being asked to do, and wasn’t going anywhere.

“I like the way C.J. operates,” Pederson said. “I like the way his mental capacity is, the way he thinks, he sees the field extremely well, and he’s tough. You saw some of the athleticism today, the movement skills and stuff with him. He throws a really good football, and he played well today, he led us into a couple of field goal drives there. He does a nice job for us.”

Pederson believes in Beathard’s ability, but more important is his role with the team. Rourke is only 25, and his most recent football experience comes from the Canadian Football League. He looked promising in the preseason, but he has a lot of developing to do.

On the other hand, Beathard is 29-year-old, six-year NFL veteran going into his third year with the Jaguars.

With starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence still coming into his own, the ideal backup is a consistent veteran who can help coach Lawrence when he needs direction. The Jaguars have their young, talented quarterback. They just needed a consistent veteran backup, and Beathard is the guy for the job.

Rourke made a strong case for a place in the NFL, though. He started preseason with a highlight touchdown pass and kept the ball rolling as the season approached.

He completed nine of 17 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown in the preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Rourke then connected on 10 of his 12 passes for 121 yards in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions.

Pederson praised Rourke for his accuracy, toughness, and willingness to tuck the ball and use his legs following Jacksonville’s win over the Lions.

“Those are all things that I appreciate about him and the effort and leadership that he provides,” Pederson said.

He saw the field less in the final preseason game and finished with four completions for 74 yards against the Miami Dolphins.

Rourke impressed Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor and the rest of the team, which forced conversations about the possibility of having three quarterbacks on the roster. Taylor described the situation as a “case-by-case and week-by-week basis.”

“There may be a situation where you keep that guy on the 53,” Taylor said. “But if you’re light in another position, and you need the bodies, and you’re healthy at quarterback, maybe that week you don’t have a third quarterback.”

Jaguars starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence recognized “the great Canadian” — as he called him — for his highlight touchdown and other eye-popping plays. Lawrence said Rourke is just as impressive in practice every day and earned the respect of Jaguars players.

“He’s had some great plays, and that’s what you got to do,” Lawrence said. “The guy is looking to stick in the league and get a spot.”

Rourke could be eligible to return to Jacksonville’s practice squad if he clears waivers.

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Jaguars 2023 cuts tracker: QB Nathan Rourke among waived players

The Jaguars have until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday to cut their roster down to 53 players. We’ll track every move right here:

The Jacksonville Jaguars have until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET to trim their 90-man roster to 53 players ahead of the 2023 regular season.

That could be especially difficult for the team this year after accumulating talent that made the Jaguars owners of one of the NFL’s deeper rosters from top to bottom. The depth of the team could also mean that the Jaguars negotiate a trade or two before the Tuesday deadline:

Right here we’ll keep track of every Jaguars player who gets released, waived, or traded before the Tuesday afternoon:

 

Jaguars cap undefeated preseason with 31-18 win vs. Dolphins

The Jaguars finished with an undefeated preseason slate for just the second time in franchise history.

For just the second time in franchise history, the Jacksonville Jaguars finished a preseason slate undefeated.

With a 31-18 win against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, the 2023 Jaguars joined the 1997 Jaguars, who finished their exhibition games 4-0 before an 11-5 regular season.

Jacksonville picked up 78 yards on 12 plays on its first offensive possession Saturday night, but came away with no points after rookie running back Tank Bigsby fumbled near the goal line. The Jaguars offense kept rolling on its second possession, though, driving 80 yards and into the end zone in 12 plays.

A pair of interceptions hauled in by Jaguars rookies Erick Hallett II and Yasir Abdullah set up a couple more scores for Jacksonville and a blowout victory.

The game was eventually called with 8:32 left in the fourth quarter after Dolphins receiver Daewood Davis suffered an injury and was carted off the field.

Here’s how it all went down in the Jaguars’ preseason finale:

Jaguars MVP of the game: The starting offensive line

Everything the Jacksonville offense did on its first two drives worked perfectly. A loaded skill position group that added Calvin Ridley and Tank Bigsby certainly helps, but the real heroes were the big guys up front who bulldozed the Dolphins defensive line off the ball.

Trevor Lawrence stayed pretty clean, was never sacked, and picked apart the Miami secondary. Travis Etienne Jr. and Bigsby combined for 76 yards on 14 carries (5.4 yards per attempt).

Dolphins MVP of the game: WR River Cracraft

Cracraft led all Dolphins receivers with five receptions for 52 yards. His eight targets were three more than any other player in the game, as Miami quarterbacks continuously looked for No. 85.

Jaguars play of the game: Trevor Lawrence to Calvin Ridley for 28 yards

With a pass rusher in his face, Lawrence went with the always smart toss-it-in-Ridley’s-general-direction strategy. The Jaguars’ new star receiver didn’t let him down, making a great adjustment on the ball to catch it as he was falling out of bounds. After a review, officials ruled it a catch.

There were bigger plays made later in the game by Tim Jones and Seth Williams, but no play had Jaguars fans buzzing more than Ridley’s grab.

It was over when JaMycal Hasty bulldozed into the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown

The fourth touchdown of the evening for the Jaguars extended the team’s lead back to 19 points, which was plenty comfortable against a third-string offense.

Stat that says it all: 158 yards in two drives for Jaguars starting offense

Head coach Doug Pederson probably won’t be happy about his team starting yet another game with a turnover, but that was a small blemish on an otherwise perfect night for the Jacksonville starters.

What’s next: The Jaguars will cut their roster down to 53 players before the 4 p.m. deadline on Tuesday. After that, it’s a road trip to start the regular season against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 10.

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Trevor Lawrence: Nathan Rourke has earned Jaguars’ respect

It doesn’t look like Nathan Rourke will stick on the roster, but he’s still earned respect from his Jaguars teammates.

It seems inevitable at this point that Nathan Rourke will be waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars next week when the team cuts its roster down from 90 players to 53.

Despite a stellar preseason for Rourke, which included an incredible touchdown against the Detroit Lions, Jaguars coaches are sticking with C.J. Beathard as their backup quarterback. When asked Wednesday about the possibility of keeping three quarterbacks on the roster, Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said it wasn’t particularly necessary if the top two passers on the depth chart are healthy.

“You take into account the health of your quarterbacks at the moment,” Taylor said. “If you had one that was going in maybe injured a little bit and would be a little more likely to reinjure something like that, maybe then the value would be having another one. It’s one of those situations where you don’t need it until you need it.”

If this really is the last week for Rourke in Jacksonville, he’ll go out having earned the respect of his teammates in Duval.

“The great Canadian,” Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said of Rourke on Wednesday. “He’s done a great job. The guy works really hard. … He’s had some great plays and that’s what you got to do, the guy is looking to stick in the league and get a spot.

“I think he’s played really well, and it’s been impressive to watch him work. Everyday he’s like that in practice, too, just really committed and works super hard. I know the guys have a lot of respect for him.”

Rourke, 25, has completed 19 of 29 passes for 274 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions through two preseason games. With Jaguars starters expected to play the entire first half on Saturday against the Miami Dolphins, Taylor said it’s possible Rourke won’t take any snaps in the preseason finale.

The Jaguars could add Rourke to their practice squad, but only if the quarterback first clears the waiver wire without getting claimed by another NFL team.

Prior to joining the Jaguars in January, Rourke played two seasons with the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League. In 2022, he earned the league’s Most Outstanding Canadian award.

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Nathan Rourke: I have to ‘make some film’ in case Jaguars cut ties

Nathan Rourke knows strong preseason showings will help him, whether he makes the Jaguars roster or not.

Jacksonville Jaguars third-string quarterback Nathan Rourke doesn’t have a shot at becoming the backup. Head coach Doug Pederson told reporters Saturday that, despite Rourke’s strong preseason performances, it’ll still be C.J. Beathard backing up Trevor Lawrence in 2023.

Would the Jaguars consider keeping Rourke as a third quarterback on the 53-man roster? That remains to be seen, but the former Canadian Football League is preparing for the possibility that he’ll become available to other teams soon. And the best thing Rourke can do is continue to play well.

“You don’t get a lot of opportunities and you’ve got to make them count,” Rourke said Monday in an interview with News4Jax. “It’s important — obviously you’d love to be able to make this team and be able to contribute — but you have to be able to go out there and make some film for other teams if it doesn’t work out here, right?

“I’ve been very grateful to the [Jaguars] organization here that they’ve given me a chance to do that and be able to show the player I am and what they have and hopefully we can make it work.”

In two preseason games, Rourke has completed 19 of 29 passes for 274 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. In the final minutes of the Jaguars’ 28-23 win over the Dallas Cowboys, he pulled off a remarkable play that even caught the attention of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes.

Rourke’s strong play has taken many by surprise and could land him a spot on an NFL roster. But the former B.C. Lions quarterback didn’t walk away from the CFL just to be a training camp arm.

“I left a really good situation in B.C., I left a really good team and coaching staff, people I was comfortable with, in order to come and chase an opportunity here in the NFL,” Rourke said. “If I didn’t think I would be able to make it, I probably wouldn’t have came, just to be fully honest.”

If Jacksonville cuts Rourke after preseason ends, he’d hit the waiver wire where every other team would have a chance to put in a claim. Only if every team opted against claiming Rourke could the Jaguars add him to their practice squad.

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Doug Pederson: There is no battle for backup quarterback job

Doug Pederson says C.J. Beathard will be the Jaguars’ backup quarterback, despite the strong performances of Nathan Rourke.

The impressive performances of quarterback Nathan Rourke in preseason don’t have him knocking on the door of the backup quarterback job for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

According to Jaguars coach Doug Pederson, there’s no competition at the position. When asked if there was a battle for No. 2 on the depth chart, Pederson simply said “no.”

“I thought Nathan did well again today,” Pederson said at a postgame press conference Saturday. “A couple touchdown drives there and he’s done a nice job. He’s done exactly what we ask him to do. C.J. [Beathard] is our No. 2 and, obviously, Trevor [Lawrence] is our No. 1.”

Beathard, 29, started 12 games during his four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before signing with the Jaguars as a backup in 2021. While he only saw snaps in clean-up duty during his first two years with Jacksonville, the team re-signed Beathard to another two-year deal in February.

Rourke, 25, previously starred with the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League and signed with the Jaguars in January after working out for a dozen NFL teams.

Through two preseason games, Beathard has completed 18 of his 33 passes for 218 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Rourke has completed 19 of 29 passes for 274 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

The question now for the Jaguars is whether the team would consider carrying three quarterbacks on the roster into the regular season. The team hasn’t done that in the last two seasons, but would have to place Rourke on the waiver wire if it hopes to re-sign him to the practice squad.

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Jaguars cruise to 25-7 win vs. Lions in Week 2 of preseason

The Jaguars outgained the Lions 399 total yards to just 131 in a one-sided preseason domination.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ starters didn’t play Saturday night, but the team’s backups were more than enough in a 25-7 win against the Detroit Lions.

Leading the way in the victory was the Jaguars’ first half defense, which didn’t allow the Detroit offense anywhere near the end zone and forced a couple turnovers, including a Gregory Junior interception that set up Jacksonville’s first touchdown of the day.

While the Lions scored a touchdown early in the second half, the Jaguars’ third-string quarterback Nathan Rourke kept the offense moving up and down the field, and running back D’Ernest Johnson punched the ball in the end zone on back-to-back drives.

Final scores don’t matter much in preseason, but Saturday offered further proof that the Jaguars’ roster has plenty of depth and the team has some tough decisions coming before the regular season starts.

Jaguars MVP of the game: DL Jeremiah Ledbetter

With the Jaguars starting defensive line watching from the sideline, Ledbetter got a start and looked unblockable, at times. He recorded a sack on the first play from scrimmage and he forced a fumble later in the first half when he brought down Teddy Bridgewater just as the Lions quarterback was trying to hand off the ball.

Folorunso Fatukasi is nursing an injury and may miss time early in the season, but the Jaguars have a couple good reserves in Ledbetter and Adam Gotsis.

Lions MVP of the game: LB Jack Campbell

There weren’t many standouts on the offensive side of the ball for the Lions, but Campbell had plenty of opportunities to make an impact. The first-round linebacker led all players in the game in tackles.

Jaguars play of the game: C.J. Beathard and Tim Jones connect for 48 yards

While it wasn’t a perfect throw from Beathard (Jaguars coaches probably prefer the ball pushed toward the boundary and out of the reach of the cornerback), Jones slowed his route and played the ball perfectly, calmly hauling it in for a big play.

It was over when D’Ernest Johnson scored his second of two touchdowns that extended the Jaguars’ lead to three scores early in the fourth quarter.

Stat that says it all: Total yards: Jaguars 399, Lions 131

The final score was lopsided, but maybe not quite as one-sided as it could’ve been. A look at the stats shows just how much of a domination it was on Saturday. Jacksonville essentially tripled Detroit’s offensive production and the Lions didn’t convert a third down until the fourth quarter.

What’s next: The Jaguars will wrap up their preseason slate with a home game against the Miami Dolphins.

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Patrick Mahomes tips hat to ‘nasty’ play by Nathan Rourke

The football world, including two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes, was buzzing about Nathan Rourke’s touchdown pass.

Stats and scores don’t matter much in NFL preseason, so it can be hard for players to stand out. Jacksonville Jaguars third-string quarterback Nathan Rourke found a way Saturday night.

First, Rourke led the Jaguars down the field on a eight-play, 75-yard drive in the fourth quarter that was capped by the quarterback jogging into the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown. But it was the next drive when he threw a touchdown that had everyone buzzing.

Rourke shook off three Cowboys pass rushers and fired a 21-yard touchdown pass to Qadree Ollison as a fourth Dallas defender was in the process of bringing him down. It was enough to capture the attention of much of the football world, including two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes.

Nasty, indeed.

While social media was going about the play long after the game ended, Rourke didn’t have much to say about it when reporters met him in the locker room.

“It’s just a preseason game, but it’s fun to be out there,” Rourke said. “You get to show them what you got, that you can’t really do with the plays in practice. It’s a good stepping off point that we will continue to build on.”

Rourke, who played the entire second half, finished the game with 153 passing yards and 20 rushing yards.

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Jaguars QB Nathan Rourke evaded multiple tackles and threw a spectacular touchdown while falling

Nathan Rourke, are you serious?!?!

Even though this is the preseason, nobody told Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nathan Rourke that he couldn’t pull off one of the coolest plays you’re likely to see this fall.

Late into the fourth quarter of the team’s Saturday road bout with the Dallas Cowboys, Rourke, a CFL alum, threw one of the most bewildering touchdowns you could imagine.

On the play, Rourke shrugged off multiple Cowboys defenders and tossed a laser to the end zone as he was falling down. Jaguars running back Qadree Ollison was right there to catch it and walk right into the end zone for the absolutely spectacular score.

This looks like something Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes would do. It’s absolute wizardry. Mahomes was even impressed with Rourke’s stellar play.

It remains to be seen if the Jaguars will keep three quarterbacks alongside starter Trevor Lawrence and veteran reserve C.J. Beathard, but a play like this virtually guarantees that either Jacksonville or another NFL team will want someone like Rourke in the locker room.

This stellar play is a great reminder that even NFL preseason games can light off some fantastic fireworks.

Jaguars open preseason with 28-23 win vs. Cowboys

The Jaguars started off preseason with a win thanks to the heroics of quarterback Nathan Rourke.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are 1-0 in the preseason after beating the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night, 28-23.

With most of the Cowboys’ starters on the bench and the Jaguars’ first-team units getting some early play, Jacksonville jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half. But that early advantage disappeared when Dallas scored 16 straight to take a 16-14 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Then Nathan Rourke happened.

The Jaguars’ third-string quarterback, who signed with the team in January after starring in the Canadian Football League, shredded the Cowboys defense on back-to-back touchdown drives to seal the deal.

Jaguars MVP of the game: QB Nathan Rourke

The Jaguars’ third-string quarterback made a compelling case for the backup job Saturday night after taking over in the second half. Rourke started relatively slow, completing only one of five passes on his first drive. Then he caught fire and led the Jaguars down the field on a 75-yard touchdown drive followed by a 67-yard drive punctuated by one of the most ridiculous touchdown passes you’ll ever see.

Teams rarely carry three quarterbacks into the regular season, but there’s a good chance the Jaguars would lose Rourke if they try to stash him on their practice squad.

Cowboys MVP of the game: RB Deuce Vaughn

Dallas fans were excited to see their diminutive running back in action for the first time and he didn’t disappoint. He zigged and zagged through the Jaguars defense, even making Antonio Johnson tackle his own teammates on one play.

Jaguars play of the game: Nathan Rourke’s magician act on a 21-yard touchdown

Rourke was already having an impressive night before he pulled off one of the more remarkable plays you’ll see all year, preseason or otherwise. After shaking off three Cowboys defenders, he fired to Qadree Ollison as a fourth pass rusher was bringing him down.

It was over when Rourke scrambled for eight yards and a first down with less than two minutes left to move the chains and guarantee the Cowboys wouldn’t get another offensive possession.

Stat that says it all: Zero sacks allowed

While it was a game that provided the Jaguars with plenty of things to work on ahead of the regular season, the offensive line can hold its head high. All three quarterbacks were given enough time to make plays downfield and lead the offense into the end zone. No Cowboys players managed to record a sack on the day and Jaguars rushers combined for 133 yards on the day.

What’s next: The Jaguars will stay on the road for their second of three preseason games, traveling to Detroit to face the Lions. Prior to the game, the Jaguars will head to Motor City a little early for a couple joint practices with the Lions.

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