Giants release Canadian QB Nathan Rourke

Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke will be looking for a new opportunity to make an NFL roster after getting released by the New York Giants.

Rourke joined the Giants after being claimed off waivers on May 7, one day after he was released by the Patriots.

Rourke had a tough road to make the Giants roster with Daniel Jones, Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito ahead of him on the depth chart. Rourke received few practice reps in the first week of camp.

The 26-year-old has struggled to find a landing spot since leaving the CFL for the NFL last season. Rourke signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars spending most of his time on the practice roster before being released in December.

The Patriots added the Victoria, B.C., native for the remainder of the 2023 season before releasing him in May.

Rourke spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons in the CFL with the B.C. Lions, racking up 4,035 yards and 28 touchdowns in 22 games and 11 starts. He was named the league’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 2022.

Canadian tight end Theo Johnson passed his physical and will come off the active/physically unable to perform list. He is expected to practice for the first time this training camp.

The Windsor, Ont., native was selected with the seventh pick of the fourth round, No. 107 overall, in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Johnson became the second Canadian off the board. The six-foot-six, 260-pound tight end appeared in 45 games over four seasons at Penn State, recording 77 catches for 938 yards and 12 TDs. 

After participating in the Senior Bowl, Johnson performed well at the NFL combine, posting a 4.57-second 40-yard dash, 39.5-inch vertical, 10-foot five-inch broad jump — all second-best results — and a short-shuttle time of 4.19 seconds that topped the position group.

Johnson could fill a big need for the Giants with veteran tight end Darren Waller pondering retirement.

-With files from the Canadian Press.