New England Patriots rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham turned heads with his preseason performance against the Houston Texans last Thursday night.
Veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was one of the people that walked away from that game being impressed.
The only difference with Smith-Schuster is the fact that he’s seen the ball in Cunningham’s hands throughout training camp. So while there’s always a certain element of surprise when seeing things in a game situation in real time, there’s also the side from Smith-Schuster that has seen it already on the practice field.
“That dude is electric,” Smith-Schuster told reporters. “When the football’s in his hands as a quarterback, he’s a very dangerous player.”
JuJu Smith-Schuster on Malik Cunningham: “That dude is electric. When the football’s in his hands as a quarterback, he’s a very dangerous player.” pic.twitter.com/Ho1FRBEMNy
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) August 13, 2023
Cunningham’s explosive playmaking abilities as a runner offers a unique element to the offense. The Texans dominated defensively through the first three quarters, but once Cunningham stepped onto the field, it completely changed things.
Defenders were kept honest out of fear of the rookie taking off and running. His abilities to make plays on the run even disguised the offensive line struggles because he was constantly able to buy more time.
The Patriots might still try to move him to receiver, or they could be looking to utilize his skill set to add wrinkles to Bill O’Brien’s offense. Or, maybe he’s being primed as a legitimate quarterback option for New England.
If he continues to make plays like he did against the Texans, all of the above could end up being true.
