There has been plenty of buzz surrounding New England Patriots rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham, even though he has yet to take a meaningful snap in his NFL career.
So far, he has been quietly putting in work behind the scenes, biding his time and improving so that he’ll be ready for the day when his name is finally called up to the main roster. Some are hoping it’s sooner rather than later, given the way the quarterback room has struggled in New England.
Buy Patriots TicketsPatriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien commented on Cunningham’s progress when speaking with media members on Tuesday. Per O’Brien, the rookie signal-caller has been mostly working as a receiver, but there are times when he gets opportunities under center as well.
He called Cunningham one of the Patriots’ most improved practice squad players.
Bill O’Brien said Malik Cunningham is one of the Patriots’ most improved practice squad players. Said he’s mostly worked as a receiver but played some QB last week to mimic Taysom Hill.
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) October 10, 2023
Cunningham showed promise in his limited opportunities on the field at quarterback in the preseason. His ability to make plays on the move is a unique and effective element to his game the Patriots clearly lack elsewhere with Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe and Will Grier.
An argument could be made that the Patriots should prioritize honing in on his skills as a quarterback, but for now, it appears like they’re sticking with the same juggling act of skilled position player and situational signal-caller in practice.
