Malik Cunningham made a quick return to the New England Patriots’ roster on Thursday, when the NFL team signed the former Park Crossing High School star for it practice squad.

Cunningham had started the 2023 NFL season on the Patriots’ practice squad, and he had been signed for the active roster on Oct. 14.

Eligible to play in New England’s previous two games, Cunningham got on the field for six snaps, and on Tuesday, the Patriots waived him. Cunningham cleared waivers on Wednesday, and now he’s back with New England.

The Patriots signed Cunningham as an undrafted rookie in May with a stated intention of turning the Louisville quarterback into a wide receiver. But in the preseason, Cunningham played both positions (and returned a kickoff) before beginning the 2023 season on New England’s practice squad.

Cunningham joined the active roster after New England had played back-to-back games without scoring a touchdown. Cunningham’s mobility – as illustrated by 3,179 rushing yards and 50 TD runs at Louisville – appeared to raise the possibility the Patriots would use the rookie as a change-of-pace to Mac Jones, a dropback passer with 301 rushing yards in his NFL career, particularly after Patriots coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien praised Cunningham’s improvement in the week before he joined the active roster.

Cunningham backed up Jones during a 21-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 15. He got on the field for six snaps, but his only stat was being sacked once.

For New England’s 29-25 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Bailey Zappe served as Jones’ backup, with Cunningham designated as a game-day inactive.

While Cunningham returned to an NFL roster on Thursday, another former Alabama high school star left one, when the Baltimore Ravens waived outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon, who prepped at Hoover.

Moon made the Ravens’ practice squad last year as an undrafted rookie from Florida. He started the 2023 season there, too. But since being signed to Baltimore’s active roster on Sept. 23, Moon had played in four games, with six tackles and one forced fumble. He’d had 70 defensive snaps and 75 special-teams plays.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.