Bill Belichick never ceases to surprise with his decisions. In a shocking turn of events, the New England Patriots head coach sent ripples across the NFL community by making unexpected cuts to his 53-man roster. He cut both his backup QBs, Malik Cunningham and Bailey Zappe. It was more than a surprise to see both the QBs get cut but more so on $2,750,000 Contract Holder Cunningham, after he impressed in his first preseason game which was even lauded by Lamar Jackson.
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Belichick’s decision to part ways with both of his backup quarterbacks has left many scratching their heads. Cunningham was an undrafted rookie when he joined the Patriots. He managed to steal the spotlight during his first preseason appearance against the Houston Texans. Showing off his dual-threat ability after rushing for a touchdown, he also connected in three of his four passes, for which he even earned praise from Jackson.
Malik Cunningham Gets Unexpected Cut
Lamar Jackson knew about the talents of Malik Cunningham long before the rookie WR/QB landed at the Patriots. Jackson and Cunningham had crossed paths during their time at Louisville, back in 2018. After seeing his performance against the Texans, Jackson was impressed, but surely not surprised. Malik played the first half as a WR before switching to a QB role in the second. Acknowledging Cunningham’s exploits after the game, Lamar Jackson tweeted – “Broski⛽️⛽️ @MalikMalikc10”.
Bill Belichick also took note of Cunningham’s performance even though the Patriots lost 20-9 to the Texans. Talking about Malik Cunningham at the press conference, the Patriots HC said,
“Yeah, I think Malik’s a tough kid. He showed that at Louisville, and as a receiver, he’s different than at quarterback. But, he’s had to block, go in, and make tough catches in traffic and things like that. No, I think his toughness and competitiveness is good. You saw that in college and we’ve seen it in the time that he’s been here.“
Back in April 2023, Belichick made a strategic move to sign Malik Cunningham on a UDFA deal for 3 years worth $2,750,000. Cunningham was delivering on the investment made by the Patriots through his performance and preseason training. The sudden move to cut him from the final 53-man roster makes little sense to many. Maybe Belichick will clear the air later, until then, this remains one of the bizarre cuts of 2023.
Cunningham is a Mixed Bag for the Patriots at the Moment
Cunningham burst onto the scene during the Patriots’ preseason opener against the Texans. However, the rest of his games against the Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans were not so eventful for him. As the preseason progressed, Cunningham’s transition to wide receiver proved to be a challenge.
After going without a catch against Green Bay, Cunningham only registered one catch against the Titans. He was 0-2 in his passing attempts after getting to play as a QB. Cunningham was sacked in one of the last plays of the preseason. He only had 5 yards to his name in the Titans game. Preseason stats for Malik Cunningham read- 19 yards for 3 out of 6 passes completed, rushed 39 yards, and a single TD.
It seems a bit unfair at the moment for Malik Cunningham to be cut by the New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. His journey from college QB to NFL WR may have hit hurdles, but one thing is for sure – we will be hearing the name Malik Cunningham more often than not in the coming future.
