Patriots Reportedly Release Quarterback As Roster Cuts Continue

Trace McSorley’s time on the Patriots’ roster came to an unsurprising end Monday.

New England released the veteran quarterback ahead of Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline, according to multiple reports. NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report his release.

McSorley, who signed with the Patriots in March, saw minimal playing time this preseason, completing 1 of 4 passes for 4 yards across two appearances. His practice reps also plummeted after the first few weeks of training camp, with the vast majority going to starter Mac Jones and backup Bailey Zappe.

It would not be surprising to see the 28-year-old Penn State product land on the Patriots’ practice squad once it’s assembled later this week.

The more interesting roster candidate is Malik Cunningham, whose fate remained unclear as of Monday afternoon. The undrafted rookie played both wide receiver and quarterback this summer while also seeing action on special teams.

Cunningham, who played QB at Louisville, has a long way to go in his development as a wideout (nine targets, one catch, -1 yard this preseason). But he showed promise in his limited game reps behind center, leading an impressive touchdown drive in his pro debut.

The Patriots might have tried to hide Cunningham from other teams after that game, as he almost exclusively played receiver in the final two preseason contests. If released, New England only could add him to their practice squad if all 31 other clubs choose not to claim him off waivers.

“Malik is a really interesting player,” head coach Bill Belichick said Monday on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” “(He) never played receiver before or returned kicks, and he’s done both, as well as playing quarterback. He certainly has some things on his résumé. So do other players. We’ll see how all that plays out.”

The Patriots must finalize their initial 53-man roster by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Follow along with NESN.com’s roster cut tracker for live updates on every move.