Patriots
Cunningham is on the active roster for Sunday’s game.
On Friday, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick hinted that Malik Cunningham’s regular-season debut with the Patriots may not be far off.
The next day, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Patriots are moving Cunningham from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of their matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
They’re not just doing so on a short-term basis, either, per Rapoport. He shared Saturday afternoon that New England is signing Cunningham to a three-year deal.
“He’s a smart kid, works hard, and the opportunities he’s had, he’s shown a lot of improvement,” Belichick told reporters.
Cunningham, a star quarterback at Louisville, has played quarterback and wide receiver in training camp and the preseason with the Patriots.
Albert Breer of The MMQB reported that the Patriots had packages for Cunningham at both QB and WR this week.
“They could get creative in how they use him vs. Vegas,” Breer shared.
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported that the Patriots may even use him at a different position outside of those two. Cunningham’s athleticism was on full display in limited action in the preseason.
While the short-term buzz is obvious, many are already clamoring for the undrafted rookie Cunningham to replace Mac Jones as the quarterback of the future.
Time will tell how that portion of the story unfolds, but at a minimum, the Patriots added someone who can potentially provide some electricity to their lifeless offense.
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