Patriots News: Keenan Allen, Bill Belichick, Malik Cunningham and Bailey Zappe

Malik Cunningham expected to be elevated to the game day roster for Week 13

With the definitive certainty about who will be taking over quarterback duties for the Patriots moving forward, or at least for Week 13, there was an assumption that rookie Malik Cunningham would be brought up to the 53-man roster in some capacity this week.

Although we haven't seen much of him this year, and he's been said to be practicing more as a receiver, ESPN's Mike Reiss reported the Patriots plan to elevate him from the practice squad before the Chargers game and are likely to use him in various ways.

Since all signs point to Bailey Zappe likely getting his first start of 2023, it wouldn't be surprising to see Cunningham used more as a pass catcher, even more so since New England already announced that Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas would not be active for the game. He could also be used for any wildcat plays or if things get out of hand for Zappe.

Besides the apparent storylines that will come out of the game, mainly that of Mac Jones and what his benching could mean for his future, seeing how short of a leash Zappe is given and how they choose to use Cunningham will surely make headlines.

It would provide a bit of a silver lining if both are used adequately and perform well, given how little excitement the Patriots have given their fans this season. Hopefully, they can do just that.