Patriots Make Change to QB Room Ahead of Rookie Minicamp

After picking up two new quarterbacks in the most recent NFL Draft, the New England Patriots are making an adjustment to their depth at the position.

According to insider Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Patriots have opted to waive Nathan Rourke ahead of rookie minicamp, now leaving the team with four quarterbacks on the roster and 89 players total.

Rourke was a late addition to New England last season amid their uncertainty under center and came in as a backup option if things got shaky. However, with the selection of Drake Maye and Joe Milton into a QB room in a unit that already had Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe, it was hard to see the Patriots carry five signal callers into camp. In the end, it was Rourke who was the odd man out.

Being released ahead of rookie minicamps allows Rourke ample time to join another squad in hopes of making a 53-man for 2024-25. The 6-foot-1 CFL product is only 25 years old, so there remains some potential upside to what he could bring as a QB elsewhere.

As we progress further into the offseason, it will be interesting to see how New England opts to construct their quarterback group the next year. Maye and Brissett are virtual locks, but the future of Milton and Zappe could be dependent on what they showcase in camp across the coming months.