More than a week after using the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on North Carolina’s Drake Maye, the New England Patriots are making room at quarterback.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots have released veteran quarterback Nathan Rourke. The decision to move on from Rourke leaves New England with four quarterbacks on its roster in Maye, Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton.
A three-time All-Mid-American Conference selection at Ohio University, Rourke had been with the Patriots since last December when New England claimed him off of waivers after he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Prior to his time in the NFL, the Oakville, Ontario, native spent two seasons playing for the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League and was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 2022.
The Patriots informed QB Nathan Rourke that he is being waived, per sources.
This thins the QB room to 4 — Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, Bailey Zappe and Joe Milton.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 6, 2024
The decision to release Rourke was somewhat academic for the Patriots, who figure to enter the 2024 season with Brissett and Maye as their top two quarterbacks. New England also used a sixth-round selection on in the 2024 draft on Milton, who figures to be an intriguing developmental prospect for the franchise moving forward.
Having been released by his second NFL team since December, it will be interesting to see if Rourke catches on with another roster or potentially opts to return to Canada. The two-time Jon Cornish Trophy recipient certainly enjoyed no shortage of success up north, completing 76 percent of his passes for 4,035 yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in his two seasons with the BC Lions.
