Malik Cunningham seeking to comply with in Julian Edelman’s footsteps as former QB turned receiver

Patriots

“He’s not the quickest man, however he is aware of how one can get open.”

FOXBOROUGH — Malik Cunningham has his work reduce out for him this coaching camp.

A standout quarterback throughout his time at Louisville, Cunningham signed with the Patriots as an undrafted rookie this offseason in hopes of carving out a job as a large receiver on New England’s depth chart.

It’s one factor to attempt to earn a spot within the NFL at your tried-and-true place, particularly one as refined as quarterback. However it’s one other endeavor solely to study a brand new place whereas lining up in opposition to professional competitors.

Fortunately, Cunningham doesn’t have to go looking very far for assist on the subject of his profession trajectory.

If Cunningham hopes to stay within the NFL as a wideout, following one other QB-turned-wideout in Julian Edelman looks like the proper course to chart. And on Thursday morning, Cunningham sought some recommendation from the Patriots legend.

“He got here within the coaching room. He informed me to simply maintain my head down, maintain working, simply continue learning from the older guys and simply maintain being a sponge with the whole lot,” Cunningham stated of Edelman, who was readily available for apply at Gillette Stadium. “You possibly can study a lot all through the constructing as a receiver, a quarterback, simply studying from the defensive guys and what they’re considering, completely different coverages. Simply choosing their brains. It’s been enjoyable.”

Edelman was as soon as thought of a protracted shot to carve out a daily position on New England’s depth chart, with the Patriots deciding on the Kent State QB within the seventh spherical of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Initially relegated to special-teams play, Edelman’s soccer IQ, drive, and reducing skill allowed him to shortly push his approach up the ladder in Foxborough. The remainder, in fact, is historical past.

“He’s not the quickest man, however he is aware of how one can get open,” Cunningham stated of Edelman. “Simply utilizing leverage primarily based on the defender, and when the ball will get in your fingers, simply being a weapon with it. That’s one thing I really feel like I’m accustomed to doing since I’ve been taking part in soccer. Getting the ball in my fingers and making defenders miss.”

Talking after Thursday’s apply, Edelman acknowledged that his recommendation to Cunningham is much like the one he shares with each rookie seeking to discover an identification up within the NFL ranks.

“Like I inform plenty of these younger guys, what I realized at a younger age from Scott O’Brien, who was a particular groups guru, he stated, ‘There’s going to be good performs and unhealthy performs, however with each play, there’s a little bit of expertise that you just acquire,’” Edelman informed reporters at Gillette Stadium. “So the fellows that may digest that unhealthy play and study from that have, it helps them, so I simply form of defined that to younger guys. And errors are going to be made on a regular basis, you simply can’t make the identical mistake twice. That’s the way you get changed.”

To date, Cunningham has taken on no matter position the Patriots coaches have handed him.

“Since you’re not going to be precisely [Edelman] — he’s one in all a form, simply the kind of participant he’s. I’m simply making an attempt to select completely different stuff from his recreation and add it to mine.”