FOXBORO — Malik Cunningham took more competitive team reps at quarterback than wide receiver in Sunday afternoon’s practice, but it seems the team still views the rookie as more of a pass catcher.
Cunningham, still listed on the roster as a quarterback, shined in Thursday night’s preseason opener, adding juice to an otherwise lifeless Patriots offense as he went 3-of-4 for 19 yards as a passer while adding five carries for 34 yards with a rushing touchdown at QB. Cunningham did line up at wide receiver in the game but wasn’t targeted.
The Patriots paused Sunday’s practice just prior to the start of 11-on-11 drills for lightning in the area. When they continued the session, the first plays seen by reporters had Cunningham under center for two plays.
“Really kind of the first reps I got with him today that y’all saw,” starting center David Andrews said Sunday after practice. “Like every other rookie, he’s getting a lot thrown at him. He’s just trying to take it day by day. He obviously can do some different things, so we’ll see.”
Cunningham later took another rep at quarterback in the red zone later in practice.
Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is excited by what he saw in Thursday’s game, but did note that the rookie is still primarily working on his conversion to wide receiver.
“Oh man, it’s fun. That dude is electric,” Smith-Schuster said. “When the football is in his hands as a quarterback, he’s very dangerous as you could see this past Thursday night. He’s a guy who’s been doing it in college, so I guess it’s like second nature to him.
“I think he’s probably more on the — still trying to work on that receiver side, which he’s come a long way from where he started in OTAs to where we’re at now. He’s doing really well on both sides of the ball.”
Cunningham did warm up with the rest of the Patriots wide receivers. Only Cunningham, starter Mac Jones and backup Bailey Zappe saw time at quarterback in Sunday’s session. Third-stringer Trace McSorley and the scout team took the day off in an abbreviated practice.
Cunningham and McSorley are much more mobile than Jones and Zappe. Cunningham used his speed and agility to his advantage in the preseason loss to the Houston Texans much more than McSorley, who went 1-of-3 for 4 yards with a 3-yard carry in two drives, both three-and-outs. Zappe started Thursday’s game and went 12-of-14 for 79 yards with 6 yards on one carry.
Cunningham’s touchdown-scoring drive was his only action in Thursday’s contest. It’s worth monitoring how the rookie continues to split his time in practice moving forward. At 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, Cunningham is a bit undersized as a passer and needs to work on his mechanics, but he could be effective under center in certain situations.
The Patriots head to Green Bay for joint practices with the Packers on Wednesday and Thursday. They play the Packers in preseason action Saturday then travel straight to Tennessee for joint practices and preseason action with a Titans.