Jaguars may or may not give QB3 Nathan Rourke a roster spot in 2023

Third-string quarterback Nathan Rourke has done more than enough to earn a roster spot with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023. However, he might not make the team based on comments offensive coordinator Press Taylor made in a recent exchange with the media.

Taylor says the Jags have had discussions about carrying three quarterbacks in the season. He noted that they could use that roster spot at another position. However, they don't want to be in a situation in which they're left without anyone healthy behind center, citing the San Francisco 49ers in last year's NFC Championship game as an example of how things could potentially play out if they ran out of healthy bodies.

"We've had those conversations here and there and it's really kind of a case-by-case week-by-week basis, Taylor told the media. "There may be a situation [where] you keep that guy with 53 but if you're light in another position, you need the bodies and you're healthy at quarterback made it that week you don't have a third quarterback. However that looks."

"So it could be down. I think just like anything in this league, things could change so quickly, everything's down the down game, the game, whatever it is, so I don't know if there's one blanket philosophy we have on that situation, necessarily," Taylor said.

Taylor later continued, "Part of it, you've taken into account the health of your quarterbacks at the moment. So if you had one of them that was going in maybe injured a little bit and would be a little more likely to re-injure, maybe then the value would be having another one. But it's one of those situations where you don't need it until you need it. So all of a sudden, you're in the NFC Championship game as the Niners were the talk of this thing all rose up and all of the sudden it happened."

Rourke played two seasons for the B.C. Lions before getting a shot in the NFL. He worked out for several teams before landing with the Jaguars earlier this year. In two preseason games, he's gone 21-of-37 for 291 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He was the talk of the town following a play in which he escaped the Dallas Cowboys' pass rush to connect with running back Qadree Ollison for a touchdown grab in the opener.

Press Taylor make it sound incertain if the Jaguars will carry 3 QBs in 2023

The truth is that Press Taylor's comments leave room for interpretation. Teams can dress three quarterbacks on game day but they have to carry that number in the 53-man roster. Thus, there's a chance the Jags keep Nathan Rourke for the 2023 season but they might not use him in certain games.

The truth is that backups are just one injury away from setting foot on the field and the last thing the Jaguars want is to be in the middle of a crucial game and run out of healthy quarterbacks. As Taylor noted, this isn't a black-and-white proposition. It's also worth pointing out that if Nathan Rourke ends up in the practice squad, other teams could then feel inclined to poach him, and that's not something Jacksonville would want, especially after developing him this offseason.

In the end, this could be a tough call for the Jaguars. Should they keep a third quarterback or give the roster spot to a player at a position of need? That's something they'll need to assess in the upcoming days.

Here are other recent Jaguars stories you may also enjoy: