Patriots signing of UDFA Malik Cunningham brings intrigue and excitement
The New England Patriots completed a whirlwind 2023 NFL draft on Saturday and emerged from the NFL draft with 12 new players who will vie for positions on the 2023 roster.
The draft featured a great trade down and then a first-round selection of top cornerback, Christian Gonzalez. Yet, though the team needed a great draft, it was lackluster and disappointing earning only a C grade here.
The Patriots are not known for astute drafting as even their owner, Robert Kraft has noted. Yet, there is one area of personnel management in which the club surprisingly excels.
That is in signing Undrafted Free Agents (UDFAs). For some reason, the Patriots are terrific there exceeding maybe any other NFL team in finding UDFA diamonds in the rough.
It’s a great attribute. In fact, a UDFA will make the final 53-man roster virtually every season. Now, right after the 2023 draft, the team has just signed a particularly interesting player.
New England Patriots surprise exciting UDFA signing
The player is a dual-threat quarterback who’ll bring excitement to a squad that is virtually devoid of offensive pizzazz.
The New England Patriots signed Malik Cunningham of Louisville. It’s looked upon here as not only an exciting signing but a positive signal.
Patriots’ quarterbacks for decades have been statuesque primarily pocket-passers. One of them, of course, had a sensational ability to side-step ongoing rushers. That helped make Tom Brady the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
Yet, for the Patriots, after the Cam Newton experiment, you’d probably have to go back to Doug Flutie for a running quarterback the team has employed, until now.
Cunningham is an exciting player along the lines of Lamar Jackson (a huge favorite here) and ironically hails from Jackson’s alma mater, Louisville.
Cunningham’s 2022 line included a pedestrian completion rate of 62.4 percent with eight touchdown passes and five interceptions. Not exactly earth-shattering numbers.
In 2021, he completed 62 percent of his passes along with 19 TDs and only 6 INTs. What’s to be excited about? Cunningham can tote the rock. He’s not only a good runner, he’s an exceptional runner.
In 2022 he augmented his passing with 565 yards rushing and 12 TDs on the ground. In 2021, he was even better gaining 1031 yards on the ground with 20 rushing TDs! That’s production.
Analyzing the New England Patriots signing of Cunningham for big bucks
Another interesting facet of the Cunningham signing is the number of guaranteed dollars. It’s significant and atypical.
Cbsnews. com notes that the $200,000 guaranteed to Cunningham is the most ever guaranteed by the Patriots for a UDFA. It’s a statement signing.
The aforementioned Cam Newton was a favorite here who did a far better job in 2020 for the team than he’s been given credit. He laid it all on the line for the Patriots.
Unfortunately, the coaching staff had little idea of how to utilize his attributes. So why the change now to bring in another dual-threat guy?
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One reason has to be the team’s new offensive coordinator, Bill O’Brien. His hands are all over this signing. What a refreshing signal that is!
The NFL has moved in a different direction. Quarterback mobility is more and more essential and the Patriots have little now at quarterback with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe.
Cunningham changes all that. The dollar commitment is significant enough that this is not capricious. It’s serious business. Hopefully, he’ll compete for the starting position.
With the Patriots not devoting any of their 12 draft picks to offensive tackle, having a dual-threat quarterback is just what the doctor ordered to help mitigate that deficiency.
Next. Patriots Draft Class ’23: Grades and thoughts on Day 3 selections. dark
Should they have drafted OTs? Yes, but the damage of that poor drafting strategy is eased with a quarterback like Cunningham.
If you were disappointed in the draft, take heart. Cunningham is an exciting signing. And, if he isn’t the starting quarterback, who knows, he could probably be a super wide receiver.
So, what’s not to like?