The NFL on Monday reportedly adopted a new rule that will allow teams to dress a third quarterback without burning an active roster spot. The rule is designed to protect teams from running out of quarterbacks due to injuries, as the San Francisco 49ers did in the 2023 NFC Championship Game.
At first glance, the rule seemingly gave the Patriots a path toward deploying dual-threat QB Malik Cunningham, whom they recently signed as an undrafted free agent. New England fans quickly took to Twitter with eyeball emojis, photos of Cunningham and Bill Belichick GIFs. But the dream quickly died after the rule’s actual language started making the rounds.
Here’s the bit that matters:
“Each club may also designate one emergency third quarterback from its 53-player Active/Inactive List (i.e., elevated players are not eligible for designation) who will be eligible to be activated during the game, if the club’s first two quarterbacks on its game day Active List are not able to participate in the game due to injury or disqualification (activation cannot be a result of a head coach’s in-game decision to remove a player from the game due to performance or conduct). If either of the injured quarterbacks is cleared by the medical staff to return to play, the emergency third quarterback must be removed from the game and is not permitted to continue to play quarterback or any other position, but is eligible to return to the game to play quarterback of another emergency third quarterback situation arises.”
So, to summarize: If the Patriots designated Cunningham as their emergency third QB for a game, he’d only be allowed to play if their top two signal-callers (presumably Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe) both suffered injuries.
Now, this doesn’t completely erase the chances of Cunningham seeing some game action for the Patriots in 2023.
New England still could keep a third quarterback on its 53-man roster, something it’s done in the past, although Cunningham would need to beat out Trace McSorley for a roster spot. The Patriots also could cut Cunningham before bringing him back on the practice squad and eventually elevating him for a game or two.
If he manages to stay in Foxboro after training camp, Cunningham has the kind of skill set that could make him a useful offensive weapon in certain situations. Cunningham, who landed a record deal for an undrafted free agent, threw for 70 touchdowns while adding 50 rushing touchdowns during his career at Louisville. He compiled 3,179 yards on the ground and led all FBS quarterbacks with 1,031 rushing yards in 2021.
For what it’s worth: Cunningham reportedly is open to changing positions to stick in the NFL. What position he could switch to is unclear, although it’s worth pointing out that Alabama recruited him to play safety.
