Vikings work out star CFL quarterback Nathan Rourke

Kirk Cousins prevented one Canadian Football League quarterback from joining the Minnesota Vikings roster, and now he may have to worry about a second.

According to a report from Justin Dunk of 3 Down Nation, Minnesota worked out B.C. Lions QB Nathan Rourke on Monday — the fifth team to do so following his standout 2022 season in which he won the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian award — the first quarterback to win the award since 1980.

The 24-year-old Rourke has also worked out for the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cousins is the only quarterback Minnesota has under contract in 2023 — a one-year, $35M extension he signed over the summer. Backup Nick Mullens’ deal runs through the end of the 2022 season, and Rourke could possibly take over the Vikings No. 2 job should they not re-sign Mullens.

Minnesota also worked out Calgary Stampeders QB Bo Levi Mitchell in 2018 but he ultimately declined to sign after a Vikings official told him the team wanted to avoid a quarterback controversy after signing Cousins to a three-year, $84M contract.

A backup for B.C. in 2021, Rourke took over the starting quarterback job this season, leading the league in completion percentage (78.7), passer rating (123.6), and yards per pass (10.3), while ranking second in touchdowns (25) and sixth in passing yards (3,349). He posted an 8-1 record as the Lions starter before suffering a Lisfranc injury in August.