Canadians in the NFL

[jerrym]

The Bills have added DT Eli Ankou who has bounced around the NFL with a number of teams since signing as an undrafted free agent by Houston in 2017. He has played in 33 games with 3 starts.

[ArgoRavi]

The Bills have added DT Eli Ankou who has bounced around the NFL with a number of teams since signing as an undrafted free agent by Houston in 2017. He has played in 33 games with 3 starts.

Ankou was actually added to the practice roster which raised my eyebrows a little, as he has been in the NFL since 2017. It was pointed out to me that the NFL changed the rules around PR eligibility a couple of years ago which allows a veteran such as Ankou to be put on the PR.

[jerrym]

2021 third round Argo draft pick rush end Luiji Vilain has re-signed with Minnesota and been put on their PR. Last year he had four tackles during three regular season games.

[jerrym]

Canadian CB Tevaughn Campbell has been placed on the Jaguars PR. After playing with the Stamps, Riders and Als from 2015-2018, he played 30 games with the Chargers in 2019-21 with 11 starts, but was waived last year after a TC injury and ended up on the Raiders PR.

[jerrym]

Canadian twins RB Chase Brown and safety Sydney Brown made the Bengals and Eagles 53 man rosters respectively. Chase won the Jon Cornish trophy last year as the top Canadian in the NCAA.

https://3downnation.com/2023/08/30/c...engals-eagles/

[jerrym]

LA Rams have promoted Canadian-American QB Brett Rypien to their active roster.

https://3downnation.com/2023/09/14/l...active-roster/

[ArgoGabe22]

Nathan Rourke signing onto the roster with Lawrence’s injury

[ArgoRavi]

Nathan Rourke signing onto the roster with Lawrence’s injury

It appears that he didn't dress for the game so I am unsure what the hubbub was all about. I am guessing that Rourke will head back to the PR when the Jaguars determine that Lawrence's knee is no longer a risk for them. Anyway, I guess this was more fodder for discussion on 3downnation.com.

[jerrym]

It appears that he didn't dress for the game so I am unsure what the hubbub was all about. I am guessing that Rourke will head back to the PR when the Jaguars determine that Lawrence's knee is no longer a risk for them. Anyway, I guess this was more fodder for discussion on 3downnation.com.

Before going back on the PR, Rourke must clear waivers and could be claimed by another NFL team, so it is possible that he might be picked up by another team that would use him more.

https://3downnation.com/2023/10/21/j...nathan-rourke/

[ArgoRavi]

Before going back on the PR, Rourke must clear waivers and could be claimed by another NFL team, so it is possible that he might be picked up by another team that would use him more.

https://3downnation.com/2023/10/21/j...nathan-rourke/

Like the CFL, any NFL team has the opportunity to sign Rourke off of a practice roster as well, as long as they put him on their active roster.

I have said this before but the likes of Naylor, Lalji and 3downnation.com have oversold just how much NFL interest there has been in Rourke.

[OV Argo]

Like the CFL, any NFL team has the opportunity to sign Rourke off of a practice roster as well, as long as they put him on their active roster.

I have said this before but the likes of Naylor, Lalji and 3downnation.com have oversold just how much NFL interest there has been in Rourke.

Agreed Ravi - very little real interest there; good for Nathan for getting to sign somewhere down there (and on a good team, with coaches & QB room to learn from); he might progress to #2 there even soon, but there are a whole bunch of other NFL teams who had way more QB need than the Jags and they turned their noses up at Rourke and still do. Naylor & Lalji types either don't grasp this or don't want to admit it.

[argolio]

Agreed Ravi - very little real interest there; good for Nathan for getting to sign somewhere down there (and on a good team, with coaches & QB room to learn from); he might progress to #2 there even soon, but there are a whole bunch of other NFL teams who had way more QB need than the Jags and they turned their noses up at Rourke and still do. Naylor & Lalji types either don't grasp this or don't want to admit it.

His agent got him workouts with 12 different teams, far more than a typical CFL player testing the NFL. If that's not a ton of interest, I don't know what is.

[OV Argo]

His agent got him workouts with 12 different teams, far more than a typical CFL player testing the NFL. If that's not a ton of interest, I don't know what is.

A well connected agent could get me and my dog (who i think runs a 3.3 range forty) NFL try-outs; it's not an indicator of a ton of interest, nor even a decent amount of real interest. Real interest would be signed to compete for #2 QB at the minimum, and especially now with early season QB injuries or iffy play as factors.

[OV Argo]

Argo draft pick Luiji Villain claimed by the Panthers off the Vikings PR.

I was hoping he might run out of NFL chances and sign with the Argos (by next season even), but I don't hold out much hope there.

[ArgoRavi]

A well connected agent could get me and my dog (who i think runs a 3.3 range forty) NFL try-outs; it's not an indicator of a ton of interest, nor even a decent amount of real interest. Real interest would be signed to compete for #2 QB at the minimum, and especially now with early season QB injuries or iffy play as factors.

I tend to agree with OV here. Getting lots of workouts is one thing; getting lots of serious offers is another. While Rourke had many of the former, I don't think that he had a lot of the latter.

[argolio]

A well connected agent could get me and my dog (who i think runs a 3.3 range forty) NFL try-outs; it's not an indicator of a ton of interest, nor even a decent amount of real interest. Real interest would be signed to compete for #2 QB at the minimum, and especially now with early season QB injuries or iffy play as factors.

A well-connected agent couldn't get jack for you and your dog.

Tryouts are by far the biggest indicator of interest, and an impressive tryout is what gets you a contract offer. That's they way it has worked for CFL players for at least 30 years. The system is designed for the NFL to have interested CFL players come to them and audition for a training camp spot.

Jeff Garcia started at the bottom of an NFL camp depth chart. So did Printers, Ray, Kramer, Dickenson, Burris, etc. Why does Rourke deserve better?

I tend to agree with OV here. Getting lots of workouts is one thing; getting lots of serious offers is another. While Rourke had many of the former, I don't think that he had a lot of the latter.

We don't know, but based on 12 workouts I bet he had more than one.

[OV Argo]

A well-connected agent couldn't get jack for you and your dog.

Tryouts are by far the biggest indicator of interest, and an impressive tryout is what gets you a contract offer. That's they way it has worked for CFL players for at least 30 years. The system is designed for the NFL to have interested CFL players come to them and audition for a training camp spot.

Jeff Garcia started at the bottom of an NFL camp depth chart. So did Printers, Ray, Kramer, Dickenson, Burris, etc. Why does Rourke deserve better?

We don't know, but based on 12 workouts I bet he had more than one.

You are free to believe in football fairy tales.

And just FYI, both Warren Moon and Dieter Brock were signed out of the CFL by NFL teams to be instant starters (with big contracts) - back in the day when some NFL scouts paid way more attention to top CFL talent. And their system is designed to have scouts who pay serious attention to other football; top NCAA talent does not have to beg NFL teams for a feeble & cursory one day try-out - they get drafted and then full TCs to show well. So unless you believe the CFL is a lower level of football than US college ball, their scouts are total myopic morons for disregarding or having little respect for proven top CFL players.

[ArgoRavi]

If the market was as hot for Rourke as Naylor, Lalji, and 3downnation.com suggested it was, surely some other NFL team would have either claimed him off waivers by now or plucked him off Jacksonville's practice roster.

[AngeloV]

If the market was as hot for Rourke as Naylor, Lalji, and 3downnation.com suggested it was, surely some other NFL team would have either claimed him off waivers by now or plucked him off Jacksonville's practice roster.

I'm sure NFL teams have some sort of agreement not to touch PR players from other teams. I know you REALLY want Rourke back in the CFL Ravi, but I don't think it's happening.

[OV Argo]

Undrafted FA rookie - Tyson Bagent (out of Div II ball) - started at QB for the Bears today.

Undrafted journeyman PJ Walker has been starting for the Browns lately.

If those 2 guys' resumes trump what Rourke did in the CFL last season, I don't know what to say about some NFL QB "scouting".

Rourke ended up on a team with a proven young star QB and a vet back-up.

IF there was any real NFL interest, he would have been signed elsewhere earlier, or, snapped up off the PR or waivers by now.