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Malik Cunningham

Patriots Place Matt Judon On IR, Activate Tyquan Thornton, Sign Malik Cunningham To Active Roster

October 14th, 2023 at 6:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Patriots opted for a busy weekend in the personnel office with today’s transactions. They started by activating wide receiver Tyquan Thornton from injured reserve. Unfortunately, this was followed up by the team finally deciding to place star pass rusher Matt Judon on IR, along with recently acquired tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. With a new spare roster spot, New England signed practice squad quarterback Malik Cunningham to the active roster. Finally, the Patriots announced their standard gameday practice squad elevations would be defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms and wide receiver Jalen Reagor.

Let’s start with Thornton. One of the couple of moves here aimed at providing a spark on the offensive side of the ball, bringing back Thornton was a necessity. As JuJu Smith-Schuster and Demario Douglas deal with injuries, Thornton will come in as a reinforcement to earn targets alongside DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, and Kayshon Boutte. Thornton didn’t quite live up to the high expectations of his draft stock last year as a rookie, but he’s one of the few returning receivers that quarterback Mac Jones worked with last year. He’ll hope to redeem himself a bit in Year 2 with the Patriots.

After multiple reports that he would be out indefinitely, Judon has finally been placed on IR. Based on the team slow-playing that transaction, it was already doubtful that Judon would make a return this season. Now, the earliest he could return from IR would be in Week 10. He’s joined on IR by Wheatley Jr., who was acquired in the trade that sent running back Pierre Strong to Cleveland.

The addition of Cunningham is an interesting move. He has the potential to provide a spark on offense in two ways. New England has worked him out plenty at wide receiver since signing him as an undrafted free agent, but Cunningham surpassed a lot of Lamar Jackson‘s passing marks as a quarterback at Louisville, ranking fourth all-time for passing yards and fifth all-time for passing touchdowns. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Cunningham’s return to the active roster will result in a three-year contract.

This will be Pharm’s third game being called up from the practice squad. He’s gotten a few snaps rotating in on the defensive line in the team’s last two blowout losses. Reagor was called up last week but didn’t actually see the field.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC East

August 30th, 2023 at 6:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots moves are noted below.

Buffalo Bills

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Placed on IR:

Miami Dolphins

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

New England Patriots

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

New York Jets

Signed: 

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Placed on IR:

Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham To Join Pats’ Practice Squad

August 30th, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 30: The Patriots will retain Zappe, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who reports the second-year passer will be part of New England’s practice squad. Ditto Cunningham, who will make this a rare two-quarterback P-squad, Schefter adds. Though, Cunningham could certainly be used in myriad capacities. While the Pats are still on the hunt for a veteran option, they will attempt to continue developing the former record-setting Western Kentucky QB.

AUGUST 29: For the second straight day, the Patriots have parted with a depth quarterback. Bailey Zappe has been waived, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The same is true of rookie UDFA Malik Cunningham, notes colleague Tom Pelissero.

These moves certainly constitute more of a surprise than New England’s decision to cut Trace McSorley yesterday. The latter was in line to sit no higher than third on the QB depth chart, and the Patriots – like many other teams around the league – appeared set to carry only two passers on their active roster. They will do so, but for at least the time being it remains to be seen who their backup will be come Week 1.

With McSorley, Zappe and Cunningham all off the roster, New England’s QB room currently begins and ends with Mac Jones. The latter is in place as the undisputed starter – after head coach Bill Belichick notably declined to confirm that over the course of an offseason in which tension between the two was widely publicized. Any further moves at the position will now be worth watching closely.

Jones regressed in 2022 after New England entrusted Matt Patricia and Joe Judge with leading the team’s offense. That pair has been replaced by Bill O’Brien, whose return to the organization has led to expectations for improvement from Jones individually and the passing game as a whole. Zappe would have been expected to remain a part of that process, though that could still be the case if he goes unclaimed and resorts to the practice squad.

The 2022 fourth-rounder made four appearances (and a pair of starts) during his rookie campaign, drawing praise for his performances and posting a 2-0 record. A controversy briefly appeared to exist between Zappe and Jones, a 2021 first-rounder. The latter finished out the campaign, though, and he will carry on in the starter’s role to begin an important campaign which will go a long way in determining his future in the organization.

Cunningham played quarterback at Louisville, producing sizeable numbers in the run game in particular. He went undrafted, but secured a notable guarantee from the Patriots to head to New England as a developmental prospect. The 24-year-old spent time as a receiver in training camp, and his success in the summer seemed to assure him of a roster spot in some capacity. The decision to move on from McSorley pointed toward Cunningham having a better chance at the QB3 spot, but that is now in question.

The Patriots will likely be aiming to sneak Zappe through waivers, but such a strategy with a recent draftee carries a notable degree of risk. An outside addition could be coming as well – one would become necessary if both Zappe and Cunningham were to be claimed – so New England will remain a team to watch at quarterback position. On that point, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes that the Patriots hope to retain Zappe, while Colt McCoy (who was surprisingly released by the Cardinals yesterday) is a veteran on their radar.

Patriots Cut QB Trace McSorley

August 28th, 2023 at 12:54pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots have cut quarterback Trace McSorley, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports. The former Ravens draftee signed with New England in April to compete for a third-string job behind starter Mac Jones and 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe.

McSorley threw just four passes in this year’s preseason and completed only one of them. It was clear that he did not have much of a future in Foxborough, so the most intriguing aspect of his release is that it increases the likelihood that UDFA rookie Malik Cunningham will make the roster.

Like 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson, Cunningham is a Louisville product. And like Jackson, Cunningham is a dangerous dual-threat athlete, having thrown for 70 TDs against 29 picks in his collegiate career to go along with 3,182 rushing yards (on a 5.1 yards-per-carry average) and a whopping 50 rushing TDs. He is not the passing prospect that Jackson was, however, and there were plenty of concerns about Jackson’s acumen as a passer when he entered the league.

In light of that, Cunningham has taken the bulk of his reps as a receiver and special teamer in camp. He did see a bit of action as a quarterback in the preseason, completing three of six attempts for 19 yards. As a receiver, he caught just one of nine targets, but he had six carries for 40 yards and a touchdown. He is raw in most aspects of the game, but his athleticism is highly appealing, and it may be hard to sneak him through waivers and onto the practice squad. Even if the Pats were successful in that regard, another club could poach him at any time.

Since Zappe appears capable of handling the QB2 role, it would make sense for New England to dedicate a roster spot that might otherwise be used on a more traditional third-string passer on an intriguing player with unique upside. But as Jeff Howe of The Athletic cautions, the team has not made a decision on Cunningham despite McSorley’s departure.

“Malik is a really interesting player,” head coach Bill Belichick recently said (h/t Khari Thompson of Boston.com). “The kid never played receiver before or returned kicks and he’s done both, he’s returned kickoffs and played receiver. As far as playing quarterback, we’ll see how it goes. He’s certainly got some things on his resume, and so do other players so we’ll see how it all plays out.”

AFC Notes: Raiders, Pats, Jets, Bengals

August 25th, 2023 at 9:48pm CST by Ely Allen

As we inch closer to the start of the regular season, the Raiders‘ eventual 53-man roster is starting to come into focus. Two players in particular appear to be securing their positions for the team’s lineup come Week 1, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic.

Wide receiver DeAndre Carter has definitely taken advantage of his opportunities throughout camp this preseason. In the team’s second preseason game, Carter started in the slot in place of Hunter Renfrow, who sat out for the game. He didn’t put up notable stats from the position, but he really shined in a special teams role. He had a strong opening kick return and was inches away from a punt return for a touchdown, as well. The coaches’ faith in him to start in place of Renfrow combined with his return ability has virtually cemented his spot on the roster, according to Reed.

Another player on the rise is veteran guard Greg Van Roten, who seems to have surpassed Alex Bars for the starting job at right guard. Van Roten started the team’s most recent preseason game at right guard for a single series before being replaced by Bars, signifying the changing of the guard, pun not intended. Bars, who started most of last season for the team at right guard, may be in danger of failing to make the 53-man roster if he keeps sliding down the depth chart.

Here are a few more roster rumors from around the league as the preseason begins its close:

  • The Patriots have struggled as of late with drafting wide receivers. They’re looking to buck that trend this season. In a room that was originally looking weak when the team missed out on free agent De’Andre Hopkins, New England is newly flushed with possibilities. The team lacks elite top end talent, but behind JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker, the Patriots have a surprising number of options. Kendrick Bourne has seemingly secured a role as the team’s third wideout with a great camp, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe, and behind Bourne, rookie sixth-round picks Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte have made strong cases for roster spots themselves with impressive camps. Even undrafted rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham has reportedly shown enough versatility and promise on offense and special teams to make a case for a roster spot.
  • With the recent acquisition of free agent Dalvin Cook, the Jets top-two running backs are clear as day, but in the process, the extra body has made things a bit crowded in the position room. Brian Costello of the New York Post believes that rookie fifth-round pick Israel Abanikanda is likely safe, leading to a battle for the likely last roster spot between Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight. Seemingly, Carter is safe. He’s got more starting experience on the team than Knight and didn’t suit up for the Jets’ most recent preseason game, a likely indication that the coaches have seen what they need to see. Knight played last week and fumbled. He’s had good moments throughout training camp, but his future may lie on the practice squad this season.
  • The Bengals have a clear TE1 and a likely TE2 coming into the end of the preseason in Irv Smith Jr. and Drew Sample, but there’s a chance that TE3 isn’t on the roster, according to The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. Last season’s TE3 Mitchell Wilcox has a decent shot at a roster spot, as does the undersized Tanner Hudson, who has impressed with some nice hands throughout camp. Devin Asiasi, Nick Bowers, and Christian Trahan remain as options, as well, but don’t have the strongest chances at a roster spot. Dehner predicts that Cincinnati may take to the open market after cut day, aiming to pull in any of several experienced tight ends that may find themselves on the roster bubble.

Patriots Notes: Judon, Gesicki, Cunningham, Flowers

August 17th, 2023 at 9:41pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve got more details on Matthew Judon‘s reworked deal with the Patriots, per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). The pass rusher’s revamped contract includes “more 2023 guarantees and upside” for one of New England’s top defenders.

Specifically, Judon got a $7MM signing bonus while seeing his 2023 base salary drop from $11MM to $7MM. His 2023 incentives increased from $500K to $3MM while his $1MM in per-game bonuses stay the same. That all results in a cap hit of $16.44MM.

More simply, Judon got an effective $3MM raise in his 2023 base pay (which is reflected in the $7MM signing bonus, not the base salary) and a $2.5MM raise via incentives, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).

As we noted earlier this month, Judon had some of his 2024 money pushed up to 2023, setting the stage for more drama next offseason. In a telling sign, Volin points out that the last time the Patriots accommodated this type of cap machination was in 2020 with Stephon Gilmore. New England ended up trading the star cornerback the following year.

More notes out of New England…

  • One of the Patriots’ biggest offseason acquisitions suffered an injury during practice this week. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter), Mike Gesicki suffered a “mild dislocated shoulder.” Despite the injury, Rapoport notes that there’s hope the tight end will be active for Week 1. Following a five-year stint with the Dolphins to begin his career, Gesicki inked a one-year deal worth up to $9MM with New England this offseason. The veteran is expected to often play alongside fellow TE Hunter Henry in the Patriots’ offense this season.
  • Veteran offensive lineman Riley Reiff signed with the Patriots this offseason, and while he’s destined for a role in the starting lineup, it remains to be seen exactly where he slots in. As Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald writes, Reiff has played both right guard and right tackle during camp. The 34-year-old’s role probably won’t be solidified until we get clarity on some of the Patriots’ other linemen, including Michael Onwenu (PUP), Calvin Anderson (NFI), Kody Russey (injured) and Cole Strange (injured).
  • Undrafted rookie QB Malik Cunningham impressed during training camp and the Patriots’ first preseason game, and Volin writes that the organization has no choice but to roster the Louisville product as a third QB behind Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. As Volin notes, the Patriots signed Cunningham with the hope that he could be “another Julian Edelman” and transform from college quarterback to NFL wideout. Cunningham mostly worked with receivers in the spring, but Volin observes that the rookie has taken more and more reps under center and has clearly supplanted Trace McSorley as the organization’s third QB.
  • Trey Flowers‘ second stint in New England will see him playing on a $1.165MM salary ($50K guaranteed), per Yates (on Twitter). The veteran defensive end can earn another $510K in per-game bonuses, plus a potential $825K in not-likely-to-be-earned incentives. This leads to a max value of $2.5MM, and Flowers will be attached to a $1.285MM cap hit.

Pats Notes: Mapu, RB, Ryland, Cunningham

June 18th, 2023 at 9:44pm CST by Ely Allen

We’ve already written a bit about Patriots third-round pick Marte Mapu out of Sacramento State and his dual ability to play both linebacker and safety, a role he played in college. We had a feeling that the Patriots would see that ability and likely play him in the same role, and it looks like that may be exactly what they’re planning to do. They have him officially listed as a linebacker on their roster, but according to Doug Kyed of A to Z Sports, they have been utilizing him lately to fill the void left by former safety Devin McCourty, who retired back in March.

The Patriots are no strangers to experimenting with young players and moving them around the field. Mapu gives them a perfect opportunity to do just that. At only 216 pounds, Mapu is a bit too light to be a perfect fit at linebacker. In Sacramento, he played mostly an in-between role in the slot before lining up at linebacker in the Senior Bowl. At his first OTA practice in New England, he played linebacker; in the two practices after that, McCourty’s old safety role.

Not only does he feel comfortable playing both roles, but his teammates are also under the impression that the adjustment from FCS to NFL is coming easy to Mapu, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. His flexibility and progression have combined to earn him first-team snaps extremely early in his career, as reported by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

Here are a few more rumors coming out of Foxborough:

  • After releasing James Robinson earlier this week, the Patriots may be looking to add another body to the position room, according to Karen Guregian of MassLive. The team will run with Rhamondre Stevenson as their No. 1 next year, no question, but the names behind him don’t inspire much confidence. Pierre Strong, Kevin Harris, and Ty Montgomery combined for 150 rushing yards last year. Strong and Montgomery are reportedly in the running to compete for a third down back role with Harris potentially slotting in as RB2, but one has to imagine the Patriots are considering their options. Obviously, Dalvin Cook is available, but if they’d like to pursue someone more used to working with another rusher, Kareem Hunt, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, and Kenyan Drake are interesting names to look out for.
  • New England spent two draft picks on specialists this year, drafting Maryland kicker Chad Ryland in the fourth round and Michigan State punter Bryce Baringer in the sixth. Despite demonstrating the commitment to spend draft capital on the two, Guregian asserts that neither is a lock to replace the incumbent specialists, Nick Folk and Corliss Waitman. Guregian expects a heavy competition for both kicking jobs but doesn’t rule out the possibility of the losers of those battles landing on the team’s practice squad.
  • Former Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham was highly sought after when he went undrafted this year. The Patriots landed his talents thanks to a deal that included $200K in guaranteed money. The money might not have been the only factor in Cunningham choosing New England as his professional destination, though. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, Cunningham told the media that “the Patriots were the only team before the draft to work him out at (wide receiver).” He’s listed as a quarterback on the team’s roster, but perhaps working him out at receiver gave Cunningham the impression that he would have more playing opportunities or a higher chance to make the 53-man roster.

Patriots Sign Three Undrafted Free Agents

May 14th, 2023 at 7:02pm CST by Ely Allen

After selecting 12 rookies in the 2023 draft, the Patriots didn’t have much roster room to spare, leading them to signing a meager three undrafted free agent rookies. Here are the three who will attempt to defy odds for a roster spot:

Cunningham was a four-year starter for the Cardinals, helping Louisville to find its identity following the Lamar Jackson-era. After Jawon Pass failed to inspire much optimism in Cunningham’s freshman season, Cunningham took the reins and never looked back. Over five years, Cunningham threw for 9,664 yards and 70 touchdowns, adding 3,184 yards and 50 touchdowns on the ground. He can compete with Bailey Zappe and Trace McSorley for backup duties behind Mac Jones and potentially provide as a scout team quarterback, especially for games against quarterbacks like Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Kyler Murray.

Lumpkin will be entering the NFL at 25 years old after spending two years at Hutchinson Community College and five years at Louisiana. He has ideal size at the tight end position and utilized it well for the Ragin’ Cajuns. While he didn’t light up the stat sheet, four of his 16 catches last year were for touchdowns.

Heilig is a surprising signing, even for New England. Drafted mostly off of potential, Heilig only had 34 total tackles in four seasons with the Mountaineers. He had actually entered his name in the transfer portal and was, reportedly, willing to move down to the FCS level, if necessary, to find more playing time. After not receiving any scholarship interest, Heilig took a job at Zaxby’s to make ends meet. Then, the Patriots called.

The presumption is that the Patriots intend to utilize Heilig as a dedicated special teams player. Yes, the Patriots do have plenty of those in players like Matthew Slater, Brenden Schooler, Cody Davis, and perhaps Chris Board, but after one of their worst special teams seasons in recent memory, New England was willing to take a flyer on Heilig. It’s really the perfect landing place for him as the Patriots lend more opportunities to specialists than any other NFL franchise.

Patriots To Sign UDFA QB Malik Cunningham

April 29th, 2023 at 8:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The UDFA signing period is in full swing, and the Patriots are among the teams adding quarterbacks to their rosters. New England is signing Malik Cunningham, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). A to Z Sports’ Doug Kyed tweets that the deal includes $200K in guaranteed money, the most ever given to an undrafted free agent in team history.

Cunningham succeeded Lamar Jackson at Louisville in 2018, having been drawn there by the team’s willingness to play the latter at quarterback. They did the same with Cunningham, allowing him to have a lengthy career with the Cardinals.

Cunningham started 47 of 56 games, demonstrating an ability both through the air and on the ground throughout his time. He totaled 9,664 passing yards (on a completion percentage of 62.6%), and posted a 70:29 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He added 3,184 yards (averaging 5.1 per carry) and 50 touchdowns on the ground, giving him the all-time school record in total scores.

The 24-year-old thus has one of the more unique profiles amongst the many signal-callers who either heard their names called earlier today or have been signed to free agent deals. His frame (5-11, 192 pounds) and lack of development as a passer during his lengthy career, however, represent causes for concern about his potential at the NFL level. That explains his drop out of the draft, though New England’s sizeable investment in him demonstrates the competition they faced to sign him.

The Patriots have been at the heart of plenty of QB speculation this offseason, of course, with Mac Jones‘ status as the undisputed starter coming into question. New England was connected to Will Levis rumors after he visited the team prior to the draft, but they elected not to add a passer with any of their 12 selections this weekend. 2022 fourth-rounder Bailey Zappe and recent signing Trace McSorley comprise the rest of the team’s QB depth chart. Cunningham will look to compete for a role among those two in training camp as he begins what could be an intriguing NFL career.