FOXBORO — Malik Cunningham took additional aggressive employees reps at quarterback than broad receiver in Sunday afternoon’s observe, nonetheless it seems the employees nonetheless views the rookie as additional of a go catcher.
Cunningham, nonetheless listed on the roster as a quarterback, shined in Thursday night time time’s preseason opener, together with juice to an in another case lifeless Patriots offense as he went 3-of-4 for 19 yards as a passer whereas together with 5 carries for 34 yards with a dashing touchdown at QB. Cunningham did line up at broad receiver inside the recreation nonetheless wasn’t targeted.
The Patriots paused Sunday’s observe merely earlier to the start of 11-on-11 drills for lightning inside the house. After they continued the session, the first performs seen by reporters had Cunningham beneath center for two performs.
“Actually type of the primary reps I acquired with him immediately that y’all noticed,” starting center David Andrews talked about Sunday after observe. “Like each different rookie, he’s getting quite a bit thrown at him. He’s simply making an attempt to take it day-to-day. He clearly can do some various things, so we’ll see.”
Cunningham later took one different rep at quarterback inside the crimson zone later in observe.
Patriots broad receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is blissful by what he seen in Thursday’s recreation, nonetheless did discover that the rookie continues to be primarily engaged on his conversion to broad receiver.
“Oh man, it’s enjoyable. That dude is electrical,” Smith-Schuster talked about. “When the soccer is in his arms as a quarterback, he’s very dangerous as you possibly can see this earlier Thursday night time time. He’s a person who’s been doing it in class, so I assume it’s like second nature to him.
“I feel he’s in all probability extra on the — nonetheless making an attempt to work on that receiver facet, which he’s come a good distance from the place he began in OTAs to the place we’re at now. He’s doing rather well on each side of the ball.”
Cunningham did warmth up with the rest of the Patriots broad receivers. Solely Cunningham, starter Mac Jones and backup Bailey Zappe seen time at quarterback in Sunday’s session. Third-stringer Hint McSorley and the scout employees took the day without work in an abbreviated observe.
Cunningham and McSorley are far more mobile than Jones and Zappe. Cunningham used his tempo and agility to his profit inside the preseason loss to the Houston Texans far more than McSorley, who went 1-of-3 for 4 yards with a 3-yard carry in two drives, every three-and-outs. Zappe started Thursday’s recreation and went 12-of-14 for 79 yards with 6 yards on one carry.
Cunningham’s touchdown-scoring drive was his solely movement in Thursday’s contest. It’s worth monitoring how the rookie continues to separate his time in observe transferring forward. At 6-foot-1, 198 kilos, Cunningham is a bit undersized as a passer and should work on his mechanics, nonetheless he might very properly be environment friendly beneath center in certain situations.
The Patriots head to Inexperienced Bay for joint practices with the Packers on Wednesday and Thursday. They play the Packers in preseason movement Saturday then journey straight to Tennessee for joint practices and preseason movement with a Titans.