Malik Cunningham is a talented wide receiver of the New England Patriots and the fans were expecting him to become the backup quarterback of the team. The starting quarterback of the New England Patriots is Mac Jones. But it was expected that the wide receiver could at least get a backup quarterback position because of his incredible performances in the preseason games.
But the recent roster decisions of the team have shocked everyone. The fans are perplexed about the decision the Patriots have made about Cunningham ahead of the NFL season.
Fans not impressed with Patriots’ decision to cut Malik Cunningham
The last few days have been very hard on NFL players, teams, and even fans. The teams made difficult decisions to release a lot of their players to cut short their roster to 53. It is a mandatory protocol for every team to follow. But the New England Patriots are getting harsh criticism for releasing Malik Cunningham.
#Patriots also cut fan favorite QB/WR Malik Cunningham, per @jeffphowehttps://t.co/wFpxH17gR0https://t.co/0Qx6lIyDmn pic.twitter.com/Kgsxp5w1Dq
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 29, 2023
It is not easy for any team to choose the best players out of the players they had during the preseason games and training camps. But to follow the rules of the league every team has to do so. The Patriots did the same but fans believe that they shouldn’t have released Cunningham.
Fans on Twitter commented on his potential as a backup and his versatility in trick plays, speculating about the team’s backup options.
This sucks. Was hoping he could be the backup or used as an option in some trick plays
— Smarpy (@Smarpy) August 29, 2023
Some even suggested that other teams like the Bears should consider picking up the quarterback for his ability to play multiple positions and offer roster flexibility.
The #Bears should pick this man up. He can play multiple positions and offer roster flexibility. @thecarm @NicholasMoreano
— Josh Kezer (@joshkezer) August 29, 2023
Soooo who is the back up going to be….
— The Rational Football League Show (@TheRFLShow) August 29, 2023
The team has not only released Malik Cunningham but also Bailey Zappe. It was announced that they both can return to the team as practice players, but first, they’ll need to clear waivers.
Fans are shocked at why the team decided to release its two talented players and who’ll handle the position of backup quarterback now. Although Mac Jones is a remarkable player, what if he gets into some injury or needs help? A backup quarterback is extremely important for the team and the Patriots are ignoring this fact or maybe they have some other plans.
Malik Cunningham’s performances during his time at the Patriots
Malik Cunningham first spent some time with Louisville as their quarterback. He impressed everyone with his incredible performances. The quarterback passed for 9,964 yards and 70 touchdowns in 56 games from 2018 to 2022. He also ran for 3,182 yards on 619 carries, a 5.1 yards per carry average.
After that, he was drafted by the Patriots. Since joining the Patriots, Cunningham’s focus shifted to receiver and special teams, but his performance as a quarterback in the first preseason game gained attention. In that game, Cunningham completed 3 out of 4 passes for 19 yards and ran five times for 34 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown run.
He impressed everyone with his versatility and the way he plays. Within a short time with the Patriots, Malik Cunningham got a huge fanbase. Therefore, now his and Patriots fans are enraged with the team’s decision to release him, depriving the team of such great talent.
But the Patriots must have their reasons to take this decision. Let’s see how the team will handle this situation and how the team’s recent roster decisions will affect their performance in the regular season.
