Why Malik Cunningham needs to make the Patriots roster
The biggest disappointment at the conclusion of the NFL preseason would be Malik Cunningham failing to make the Patriots roster.
The rookie quarterback was signed by New England as an undrafted free agent after being passed on in all seven rounds back in April. Now listed as the fourth and final QB on the roster, he’s battling with Trace McSorley to make the team come Week 1.
With the Pats opting to give Mac Jones his first game time of the preseason on Saturday against the Packers, neither McSorley nor Cunningham got snaps at quarterback. However, that doesn’t mean the latter didn’t see the field.
Bill Belichick has utilized Malik Cunningham as a sort of Swiss army knife or joker card in the past couple of games. While he was able to get some passes in against the Texans, he’s also been placed at wideout, slot receiver, and even kick returner in his two outings.
That alone should be enough of a reason for the former Louisville talent to make the 53-man roster. Malik Cunningham is far more versatile than McSorley and can be the Patriots’ Taysom Hill. His speed and willingness to adapt to unfamiliar positions has him quickly winning over fans and will keep defenses guessing.
Preseason week two against the Packers was this quarterback’s first shot at running routes, and it wasn’t a complete failure. While Cunningham wasn’t able to reel in any catches, he led the team with five targets, showing that he has both the ability to get open and the trust of the other quarterbacks.
Even when at his natural position, Malik Cunningham has far outplayed McSorley thus far. He’s 3/4 with 19 yards through the air compared to McSorley’s 1/3 and four yards. While that’s a small sample size, Cunningham also led the team in rushing against Houston with five carries for 34 yards and a dazzling touchdown while at QB.
It’s also just worth keeping Cunningham to see what he’s made of in the regular season. We already know McSorley and his ceiling–last year in six appearances he threw for 412 yards, zero touchdowns and five interceptions with the Cardinals. With Cunningham, his ceiling is unknown (and McSorley didn’t exactly set a high bar).
We rarely see a quarterback like Cunningham in a Patriots jersey. It’s almost always a pocket guy like Brady, Hoyer, Jones, Garoppolo, etc. for New England. Cunningham brings something we haven’t seen in years with his mobility and playmaking, and many would love to see what Bill O’Brien could draw up with him.
If the opportunity presents itself, Malik Cunningham should be under center
At the end of the day, it’s the third quarterback slot. It’s unlikely that either of these guys will step foot on the field for the Patriots this season. But that’s probably what Bailey Zappe was thinking when he was in the same position before getting his opportunity last season.
The Patriots already let a certain talented, mobile QB from Louisville slip through their fingers in the 2018 draft. And players at this position get hurt all the time; if the opportunity comes for a backup to step up, Malik Cunningham should be under center. Hopefully, we’ll be fortunate enough to see more of him this Friday in Tennessee.