Rourke released, Signed by Atlanta...and released again AND SIGNS WITH BC

[GOLDMEMBER]

22 months ago but I bet he remembers.

LMAO I forgot about that. " hey kid you can stay down there twerp."

[TecnoGenius]

2024 Dru Brown (4th year in league) - 8 starts, 66% completion percentage, 1936 yards (242 per game), 6 TDs, 4 INTs
2023 Jake Dolegala (2nd year in league) - 10 starts, 65% completion percentage, 2641 yards (264 per game), 11 TDs, 9 INTs 

Take player bias out of it and on paper it's very similar.

If you can watch Dolegala and Brown' tapes and say that, not sure... stats are only part of the story.

Yup.

1) At similar points in their careers Dru got a franchise #1 starting job for big $$, Dolegala got dregs #2 from a team that never expected their #1 to get injured.

2) Most everyone will tell you that Dru gives off a glimmer of "future star" vibes.  Even other teams' fans who hate us, like SSK.  Most everyone will tell you Dolegala is another Jennings/Franklin/Arbuckle (but probably worse!).  How many "future star" vibes have you gotten from Dolegala?

3) SSK fans are so happy they got rid of him.  No WPG fan is happy to see Dru go, nor dissing him.  We all would have loved for him to be the #2 with Strev #3/SY.  But there was no SMS$$.

[TecnoGenius]

22 months ago but I bet he remembers.

Awesome.  Epic.  If we play BC in post-season, someone should attend with a blown-up poster of that pic.

(Not to re-open the heated debate whether it was "right" or not!  Please Lord)

[Jesse]

That's a big assumption!  You think BC was going to offer him $750k in FA '23 to hang around?  Or is it that they have to offer that to him now to lure him away from the NFL perennial PR squad merry-go-round?

Who's to say that they tried $600 Zach money and Rourke didn't just say "I'll keep trying NFL teams"?

The whole point is going from Zach $600 to $700 (or $800) will draw NFL PR QBs into the CFL.  I still think this proves my point.  The confounding factor is a) BC is cheating off-SMS, and b) there's no big overall SMS increase to justify spending $750 on a QB so it may hamstring BC's roster like in '21.

One more point: it sounds like if another NFL team comes a'callin' next week Rourke can just up and leave that day.

I don't think it's a big assumption that BC was just as willing to offer Rourke the same amount now as they were then.

I do think it's a big assumption (and a wrong one) that any amount of money the CFL can offer will lure QBs from the NFL until their options have been exhausted.

[TecnoGenius]

I do think it's a big assumption (and a wrong one) that any amount of money the CFL can offer will lure QBs from the NFL until their options have been exhausted.

Then you're assuming Rourke's NFL options are exhausted?  Almost everyone thinks he'll return to the NFL, even if it'll take 1-2 years.

I have no doubt Rourke would get onto another PR within a few weeks.  I think he looked at $500k PR and no play vs $750k starter much-loved fan-favorite.  I bet the money was the clincher.  You think Rourke would have come back so fast if he could only make $500k in 2025?

[Jesse]

Then you're assuming Rourke's NFL options are exhausted?  Almost everyone thinks he'll return to the NFL, even if it'll take 1-2 years.

I have no doubt Rourke would get onto another PR within a few weeks.  I think he looked at $500k PR and no play vs $750k starter much-loved fan-favorite.  I bet the money was the clincher.  You think Rourke would have come back so fast if he could only make $500k in 2025?

I think he'd be playing for a different team if BC tried to low ball him for 500, but he only left the NFL when he his options had run out, yes.

The Lions were in contact with him when he was cut from the Giants, but he still said no and joined the Falconsdespite them having their QB room already set.

[TecnoGenius]

The Lions were in contact with him when he was cut from the Giants, but he still said no and joined the Falconsdespite them having their QB room already set.

I think it was the bad showing in the PS game that convinced Rourke & his agent that he wasn't going to see the field this season no matter what.  I think part of the decision process is being stuck in #4 with no hope of advancing.

Do you really think no other NFL team would take a stab at PR'ing him this season?  So do you then think he won't get another NFL shot even if he wins the next 2 GCs?

Farhan thinks he 100% is at least NFL #2 material.  He called him "top 20 in NFL" just the other day.  Of course, that's Farhan, so who knows.

I think it's safe to say that there's a ton of factors going into Rourke's decision-making.  But I do know that money is a top-3 consideration.  So it's imperative he can earn the same or more here as #1 as he can as NFL PR #4.

[The Zipp]

I think it was the bad showing in the PS game that convinced Rourke & his agent that he wasn't going to see the field this season no matter what.  I think part of the decision process is being stuck in #4 with no hope of advancing.

Do you really think no other NFL team would take a stab at PR'ing him this season?  So do you then think he won't get another NFL shot even if he wins the next 2 GCs?

Farhan thinks he 100% is at least NFL #2 material.  He called him "top 20 in NFL" just the other day.  Of course, that's Farhan, so who knows.

I think it's safe to say that there's a ton of factors going into Rourke's decision-making.  But I do know that money is a top-3 consideration.  So it's imperative he can earn the same or more here as #1 as he can as NFL PR #4.

I probably watch more football than Farhan - I don't think Rourke is top 20 in cfl/nfl QB

[pdirks67]

I probably watch more football than Farhan - I don't think Rourke is top 20 in cfl/nfl QB

I don't know about Top 20, but it's hard to believe he couldn't be much better than the Raiders QBs. I'm biased, but I'd also definitely take him if I was the coach of the Patriots, Panthers, Titans, Steelers, Broncos, or Vikings. But as an undrafted guy, it will never happen. I'd actually love to see him as an understudy for the Lions. Campbell seems to give guys a chance regardless of where they come from.

[TecnoGenius]

I probably watch more football than Farhan - I don't think Rourke is top 20 in cfl/nfl QB

I would tend to agree.  A bit of a surprise statement.  Maybe "homer" optimism?

So would you say Rourke is a #2, #3 or #4 level NFL QB?  I can't say, because I don't watch NFL.

[The Zipp]

I would tend to agree.  A bit of a surprise statement.  Maybe "homer" optimism?

So would you say Rourke is a #2, #3 or #4 level NFL QB?  I can't say, because I don't watch NFL.

Want to see how Rourke looks starting a game or two and how the qb depth charts in the nfl look. 

32 teams in the nfl - hard to say that rourke is better than a starter in the NFL - teams may start a high profile rookie, maybe they were better in college than Rourke ?

Quick thought would be Rourke ranked late 30's.   Dude has had chances in the NFL - it isn't like he was passed over. 

On some teams he would #2 and some #3

[Jesse]

I think it was the bad showing in the PS game that convinced Rourke & his agent that he wasn't going to see the field this season no matter what.  I think part of the decision process is being stuck in #4 with no hope of advancing.

Do you really think no other NFL team would take a stab at PR'ing him this season?  So do you then think he won't get another NFL shot even if he wins the next 2 GCs?

Farhan thinks he 100% is at least NFL #2 material.  He called him "top 20 in NFL" just the other day.  Of course, that's Farhan, so who knows.

I think it's safe to say that there's a ton of factors going into Rourke's decision-making.  But I do know that money is a top-3 consideration.  So it's imperative he can earn the same or more here as #1 as he can as NFL PR #4.

I think his current prospects have dried up. In order to engineer new ones, he needs to put more playing time on tape that isn't his 3/11 performance from Atlanta. Right now, that's the most current and relevant tape that team will bring up to evaluate him.

SO his best chance to an opportunity in the NFL, at this point, is to return to the CFL and light the world on fire again to try and parlay that into an actual camp opportunity next next season, or simply accept that he is a CFL lifer.

The CFL money is and has always been here.

__________

A completely separate point from Rourke's specific situation. Even if we raised the cap by a million or two for the sole purpose of raiding NFL PR's of their QBs. Not only would players not come, but CFL teams wouldn't do it. How many QBs come here and look good right away? You think teams are going to offer the high end money before they prove themselves? Any salary cap increase goes to the guys already making top money.

I don't know how you're engineering this in your head, but it can't work in practice. It already played out in the 90's. All that happened is the league nearly went bankrupt and a bunch of players didn't get the money they were promised (Dunigan is an example that comes to mind).

[markf]

There are many examples proving that the NFL system is wonky. Things other than ability are involved in who gets to play and who does not.

QB examples.... You all know them.

Best current example... Brock Purdy/Trey Lance.  lol.    Kurt Warner. Tony Romo. Justin Fields. Johnny Manziel.


Not being drafted, or not being played doesn't mean that much. There is a massive amount of behind the scenes corporate manouevering, and salesmanship with everything NFL related.

[Waffler]

The NFL gets a billion per year from their tv contract alone, billion with a B. Any attempt to poach players is doomed to fail. We should endeavor to pay within our ability, for the players that are willing to come. That's why I support the salary cap and get upset when anyone (BC the latest) tries to set new highs that are not sustainable. 

[Blue In BC]

The NFL gets a billion per year from their tv contract alone, billion with a B. Any attempt to poach players is doomed to fail. We should endeavor to pay within our ability, for the players that are willing to come. That's why I support the salary cap and get upset when anyone (BC the latest) tries to set new highs that are not sustainable.

I think the way the marketing money was explained, that the Lions are playing inside the rules. Using the full minimum money and then some on one player does create an issue with their roster.

While they can still have contracts with marketing money, the rest goes to the normal SMS.

I do think it will have some negative aspect in needing to trim some bigger salaries going into 2025.

Whether it's a QB or receiver or RB that get a new bigger deal, it does have a trickle down effect on the rest of the roster.

We say that impact on the Bomber with new deals for Oliveria and Schoen. When somebody gets more, somebody else gets less. It's just simple math. Trying to get the best bang for the dollar is not always easy.