Trent Brown takes shot at Patriots with farewell post to Malik Cunningham

In a shocking yet not-so-shocking development on Tuesday afternoon, Malik Cunningham was picked up off the Patriots practice squad and signed by the Baltimore Ravens. It's a risk teams are willing to make by having any player on the practice team, which is, unfortunately, the fate they'll have to deal with now.

It seems like a good move for Cunningham, though, who didn't appear like he was going to get a proper opportunity to take the field in almost any capacity in New England. It's a bittersweet ending for many fans of the team who were chomping at the bit to see the talented dual-threat quarterback under center, especially given the current state of the position.

That looks to be true for several of his teammates, who took to their Instagram pages to bid farewell to the rookie. And within the typical goodbyes was Trent Brown's post, which stood out amongst the rest.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand what Brown is implying here.

It was evident from the start that the Patriots weren't exactly sure how to properly utilize Cunningham despite the fact they signed him as an undrafted free agent almost immediately after the draft concluded. They had him practice as a wide receiver, something he said he was open to doing if the team felt it was needed, yet barely used him in any role during the regular season.

He only saw the field for six snaps during his rookie season, and despite being elevated over the last two weeks, he was never put into either game. It was a move that made little sense to most watching the season unfold, especially when it seemed like things were done for Mac Jones after four benchings.

However, Belichick seemingly made it clear that the offense would be Bailey Zappe's job to lose and not something Cunningham would have an opportunity to compete for.

Despite it all, the young quarterback released a statement to ESPN regarding his signing with Baltimore. He thanked the Patriots organization for giving him a chance and sharing his excitement to become a Raven, re-joining former LSU teammate Lamar Jackson.

"I wanted to thank Mr. Kraft and Coach Belichick for giving me opportunity to play with the Patriots. I learned a lot from them. I want to be a coach one day, so I would take notes from coach Belichick because he’s one of the greatest of all time. I had great teammates in New England and built relationships that will last a lifetime. But I just feel like this is a good opportunity for me and I’m excited to be a Baltimore Raven."

On paper, it looks like the perfect fit for all parties, and it also brings up some concerns about how the Patriots should draft a quarterback this year. Cunningham is the latest, more mobile type of player they have failed to develop and utilize, begging the question of whether they are equipped to do so with that type of player in this upcoming draft.

However, Cunningham's departure opens up another spot on the practice squad, totaling three openings for the rest of the season. It also leaves just Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe as the only quarterbacks, which may remain that way with just four games left.

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