There have been calls for the New England Patriots to play Malik Cunningham at quarterback ever since his preseason debut with the team against the Houston Texans.
Fans might finally get their wish after Cunningham was seen taking reps at quarterback at the media portion of Wednesday’s practice for the Patriots. JuJu Smith-Schuster has had an opportunity to see the rookie quarterback work behind the scenes, and the former Pro Bowl receiver obviously liked what he saw.
“He looked good. Him going out there, making throws, moving the chains, moving the ball down the field. He looked good,” Smith-Schuster told reporters. “That’s a dangerous dude right there. Him being in there, he can do a lot of different things with the ball in his hands.”
JuJu Smith-Schuster weighs in on Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham getting majority of reps today at #Patriots practice pic.twitter.com/09kFjKFKUr
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) November 29, 2023
Cunningham’s ability to make plays on the move is an element that isn’t usual in New England.
Granted, the Patriots had the 2020 season with Cam Newton, who is also a dual-threat playmaker. But a large chunk of the Bill Belichick era has been dedicated predominantly to pocket passers.
Adding Cunningham to the mix would shake things up drastically, which is something that might actually benefit the Patriots at this point. He’d offer something fresh and new to a sluggish offense that desperately needs a spark.