Former Patriots Quarterback Officially Makes Position Change
The New England Patriots' 2023 season went wrong for numerous reasons, including abysmal play from their quarterback room. Neither Mac Jones nor Bailey Zappe could deliver when it mattered the most. It got to the point where Patriots fans wanted to see Malik Cunningham — who joined the franchise as an undrafted free agent — get some looks under center.
Unfortunately, the former Louisville signal-caller never received the opportunity to start in Bill Belichick's offense. Cunningham was limited to the sidelines before opting to leave New England to join the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad in December.
Unlike the Patriots, the Ravens plan on using Cunningham more often in 2024, leading to the announcement of an interesting position change.
Patriots News: Malik Cunningham to Play WR for Ravens
With Lamar Jackson set to lead the Baltimore QB room for the foreseeable future, Cunningham is officially being listed as a wide receiver, per Ravens insider Ryan Mink.
Malik Cunningham is now officially listed as a WR (not QB) on the Ravens' roster, btw. He made that look like the right call today with several grabs.
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) May 23, 2024
According to Mink, Cunningham looked solid with "several grabs" during Thursday's practice session.
Interestingly enough, the position change isn't coming out of nowhere. The Patriots had plans for Cunningham as a WR last offseason, which included former offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien showing the ex-Cardinal tape of Julian Edelman, who also went from being a quarterback to a wideout.
It's well-documented that the transition paid off for Edelman. The QB-turned-WR went on to rack up over 6,800 yards and 36 touchdowns across 137 games with the Patriots while winning a Super Bowl MVP award and three championship rings.
Although Cunningham doesn't have any experience as a receiver, his time at Louisville proved that he's dangerous when the ball is in his hands. He racked up 3,182 rushing yards with 50 TDs on 619 carries across five seasons with the Cardinals, leaving time to tell if he can make a similar impact in the NFL.
Considering how he was a fan favorite during his brief time in New England, Patriots fans hope for nothing but the best for Cunningham going forward.
Nevertheless, the next step in the 25-year-old's career proves one thing: Belichick knows when a quarterback makes for a better wideout.
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