The New England Patriots have promoted backup rookie quarterback Malik Cunningham from the practice squad to the main roster on a three-year deal. This promotion signifies the team’s high level of confidence in the rookie QB, given that three-year deals for practice squad players are not common.
Cunningham is a versatile player who showcased his skills as both a quarterback and wide receiver during the preseason, impressing with his performance in several games. However, some in the NFL community speculate that Bill Belichick may have hatched an intriguing conspiracy behind this roster move.”
NFL community hatches Belichick theory after Cunningham addition
After the news of Malik Cunningham signing a three-year deal with the Patriots broke out, fans devised the theory that it was all part of the bigger plan.
According to fans, Bill Belichick, known for his strategic and calculated coaching decisions, had been keeping Malik Cunningham in reserve, possibly assessing his potential and readiness for a significant role in the team.
Belichick has chosen the current moment to “unleash” the rookie QB. The reason why he’s now promoting him to a more prominent role is that the team is already struggling and needs to work on the quarterback situation.
The last two weeks have been very brutal for the team. The head coach experienced the biggest defeat of his career as the Cowboys defeated them 38-3, and the team also lost to the Saints 34-0.
After this poor performance, it was expected that the coach would decide to make some roster moves before their next game. However, no one expected him to promote a rookie backup QB.
This seems to be the perfect moment to finally launch Malik Cunningham into a more prominent role on the team. According to the NFL community, Malik Cunningham is on the verge of his ‘Tom Brady moment,’ where he is expected to have a transformative impact on the Patriots’ offense, much like Tom Brady once did.
As a rookie QB, Cunningham initially played in a dual role, serving as both a quarterback and a wide receiver. He showcased his skills by completing 3 of 6 passes for 19 yards and rushing five times for 39 yards, including a touchdown. His performance was impressive, which has led to this decision. However, some fans speculate that this might have been a pre-planned strategy by Bill Belichick. They are now wondering whether Cunningham will replace Mac Jones as the team’s starting quarterback.
Cunningham’s impact on Mac Jones future
Mac Jones, who was drafted in the 2021 NFL Draft to replace Tom Brady, had an impressive rookie season. When he joined the team, a lot of people doubted him but he proved everyone wrong with his incredible performance. The QB helped the Patriots win 10 games, threw 22 touchdowns, and kept his QB rating safely above 90.
But he has struggled in 2023, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns, and has seen a significant drop in his yards per attempt.
The promotion of Malik Cunningham with a three-year deal sends a clear message to Mac Jones that he needs to improve his performance.
Jones’ future as the Patriots’ franchise quarterback is uncertain, and he’s facing mounting pressure to either step up his performance or possibly yield the position. Bill Belichick, known for his calculated decision-making, is open to taking a chance on Cunningham if Jones doesn’t show improvement in the weeks ahead.
