Pats ink QB/WR Malik Cunningham to roster off practice squad

LAS VEGAS — In hopes of igniting their struggling offense, the New England Patriots made a bold move by adding the versatile receiver/quarterback Malik Cunningham to their active 53-man roster on Saturday.

Cunningham, an outstanding talent who concluded his college career at Louisville with 9,664 passing yards (ranking him fourth in school history) and 3,184 rushing yards (ranking him third in school history), had been on the team’s practice squad for the first five weeks of the season.

The Patriots, who currently rank last in the NFL in points per game, have high expectations for Cunningham, a 6-foot-1, 198-pound playmaker. He could inject new life into their offense as they face the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET, with the game airing on CBS.

In addition to his potential impact as a runner, Cunningham has also showcased his skills as a wide receiver during practice. With the Patriots dealing with injuries to JuJu Smith-Schuster and rookie Demario “Pop” Douglas, Cunningham’s versatility will be crucial for the team.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had hinted at Cunningham’s potential role by expressing that he was “definitely trending” towards a game day opportunity.

While the team had the option to elevate Cunningham from the practice squad and then return him after the game, they ultimately decided to sign him to a three-year contract and secure his place on the active roster.

Belichick praised Cunningham’s dedication and improvement, emphasizing that hard work pays off and leads to opportunities. Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien also hailed Cunningham for his remarkable progress on the practice squad.

Cunningham displayed his potential during the preseason opener, where he rushed for 34 yards on five carries, including a 9-yard touchdown. He also completed 3 out of 4 passes for 19 yards, exhibiting his passing skills against the Houston Texans’ backups in the later stages of the game.

After initially waiving Cunningham during the final roster cutdown, the Patriots swiftly brought him back the very next day by adding him to the practice squad.

In addition to adding Cunningham, the Patriots made other roster moves on Saturday. They placed outside linebacker Matthew Judon and offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr. on injured reserve, activated wide receiver Tyquan Thornton from injured reserve, and elevated receiver Jalen Reagor and defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr. from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.