Ravens reportedly signing Malik Cunningham off Patriots' practice squad

FOXBORO -- We'll never know what could have been with Malik Cunningham and the Patriots. The Baltimore Ravens are signing the rookie quarterback to their roster from the New England practice squad, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

It was a weird ride for Cunningham in New England, after he signed as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville in the offseason. The hopes were high for Cunningham, who was an accomplished quarterback at Louisville, and the Patriots spent time turning him into a receiver during training camp and the preseason. 

Despite a few impressive preseason games, Cunningham was cut as part of New England's final roster moves before the regular season, only to be brought back on the practice squad. He was signed to the Patriots' 53-man roster ahead of the team's Week 6 loss in Las Vegas, with New England giving Cunningham a three-year contract as part of the process. But he played just six snaps that afternoon, and was waived later in the week.

Cunningham was brought back on the practice squad again and then elevated twice on game day, but didn't play any additional snaps for the Patriots.

Now he's heading to Baltimore, which should be a great fit for Cunningham. He'll back up Lamar Jackson, whom he was teammates with at Louisville in 2017, and the Ravens should have a much better idea on how to use Cunningham's skillset. 

The rookie will also get a trip to the NFL playoffs, which was not in the cards for Cunningham with the 3-10 Patriots. It's unfortunate and disappointing that the Patriots could never find a role for Cunningham, especially considering New England has one of the worst offenses in the NFL in 2023.