The New England Patriots have reportedly waived backup quarterback/wide receiver Malik Cunningham. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the news on Tuesday.
Cunningham recently signed a new three-year deal and was promoted to the Patriots’ 53-man roster ahead of their Week 6 run-in with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The team also made both Bailey Zappe and Will Grier inactive for the game, which paved the way for Cunningham to be the top backup quarterback behind Mac Jones. He got in on a few snaps at both quarterback and receiver, but the team didn’t utilize him as much as many hoped they would.
Cunningham drew praise from Patriots fans due to the versatility he showed under center at quarterback during the preseason. With all of the ongoing offensive struggles, in many ways, he had been considered the last hope to generate a spark in the unit.
The #Patriots waived QB/WR Malik Cunningham.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 24, 2023
The undrafted rookie has now been placed on waivers, where 31 other teams will have a chance to claim him. If he goes through unclaimed, there’s a chance he could end up back on the Patriots’ practice squad.
