Quarterback has been the biggest issue for the New England Patriots this season and reports are starting to emerge that at one point they wanted to pivot to a QB who isn’t on the roster anymore.
Taking to X on Thursday, Patriots insider Phil Perry reported that some Patriots coaches really liked Malik Cunningham, who spent most of the season on the practice squad before being signed by the Baltimore Ravens. They felt that he deserved a look during one of the team’s blowout losses.
“I think when you think about just how much support there was for him, and all we heard about Malik Cunningham after the fact, I do think there was real, genuine love for the guy’s skill set here,” Perry said. “Based on, basically, what they saw from him in practice.
“I will tell you this: I heard from coaches after the Saints game. So, two blowouts in a row, bad quarterback play. And I had coaches say to me, ‘We might as well try Malik at this point. What do we have to lose?’ And so, that may have been reflective of a greater portion of the locker room than maybe I was willing to give credit to at the time.”
Did the Patriots make a mistake with Malik Cunningham?@tomecurran & @philaperry discuss it on Arbella Early Edition pic.twitter.com/XnfMAOwTIk
— NBC Sports Boston’s Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) December 21, 2023
Ultimately, the Patriots have decided to stick with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe in a decision that could wind up costing head coach Bill Belichick and all of his staff members their jobs.
Should the team have gone to Cunningham at any point this season?