The New England Patriots made an in-house move on Saturday by signing backup quarterback Malik Cunningham to a three-year deal to join the 53-man roster.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the news on Saturday.
The move comes a day before the Patriots take on the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Coach Bill Belichick praised Cunningham for being a much-improved player on the practice squad, when speaking with media members on Friday. He talked about the rookie working at receiver, special teams and quarterback.
Of course, Patriots fans are more interested in seeing what Cunningham has to offer under center. During the preseason, he showed off his ability to scramble and make plays on the move.
Rather than an elevation, Malik Cunningham is being signed to the 53-man roster with a three-year deal, source said. https://t.co/4laeepzref
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 14, 2023
The Patriots could get to the point where he sees reps at quarterback, especially if Mac Jones and the other backups struggle. However, the thinking is that Cunningham’s promotion might have more to do with the fact that both Demario Douglas and JuJu Smith-Schuster have been ruled out of Sunday’s game with concussions.
So Cunningham could potentially see work at receiver and on special teams. His versatility presents a lot of different options for a Patriots team clearly lacking in them at the moment.
