In the spring of his first offseason as head coach of the New England Patriots, Mike Vrabel wasted little time making a subtle change to the quarterback room that actually spoke volumes.
During Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft, the one prior to Vrabel’s arrival, the Patriots used a sixth-round draft pick on the tantalizing talent of Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III. The decision made all the sense in the world at the time, with the goal being to develop Milton behind the scenes, showcase him during preseason games, and look to flip him at a later date.
The Patriots seemed well along that path with Milton, who flashed obvious NFL arm talent and escapability when given opportunities during his rookie year. But Vrabel pulled the plug early, trading him to Dallas last April along with a seventh-round draft pick in exchange for a fifth-round selection (No. 171 overall).
In other words, Vrabel essentially dumped the player for equal draft value to what the Patriots spent in 2024.
While there was some speculation about Milton's uber-competitive attitude creating ripples in the Patriots’ QB room, the motivating factor likely came down to play style. New England replaced Milton with former Giants undrafted free agent Tommy DeVito, who’s a better fit for Josh McDaniels’ rhythmic, pocket-passing concepts. DeVito also fits the Patriots' timeline as a player whose ceiling is probably as an NFL backup. In a perfect world, Drake Maye will be the Patriots' starter for the next decade-plus.
New England could be looking to upgrade its QB room behind Maye over the next couple of offseasons, assuming their current room with DeVito and 2026 seventh-rounder Behren Morton doesn’t pop this summer.
But Vrabel clearly has a vision, and a recent trade idea speculating on the Patriots targeting Seattle's Jalen Milroe doesn’t quite compute.
The Patriots could trade for a QB, but they clearly have a type
Seahawks writer Jeremy Brener of OnSI floated the idea of the Patriots showing interest in Milroe, though it was more of a take than an actual report.
“There are teams that could invest in Milroe's future as a possible QB2 for the upcoming season. Nearly every team in the AFC East fits this bill," he wrote. "The Buffalo Bills have Kyle Allen as Josh Allen's backup, and Milroe could be an upgrade at that position. The New England Patriots have Tommy DeVito, who shouldn't be viewed as one of the better backups in the league.”
Milroe could definitely make sense for the Bills, Jets, and Dolphins, as Josh Allen, Geno Smith, and Malik Willis all have comparable skill sets and play styles. The Patriots feel like the outlier, though, especially at the likely asking price of a mid-round draft pick.
If the Patriots were to trade for a quarterback, a player like Denver’s Jarret Stidham or Philadelphia’s Tanner McKee would make more sense from a play-style perspective.
From a future contract perspective? DeVito fits the timeline perfectly. He’s a young player the team can continue to develop behind Maye at a cost that’s well below average from a No. 2 quarterback. DeVito signed a two-year, $4.4 million deal with the Patriots this offseason.
The assumption here is that the NFL views the Patriots’ current QB room differently than the team does. New England is currently bracing for mega contracts for cornerback Christian Gonzalez this year and Maye as soon as 2027. DeVito, now entering Year 2 in McDaniels’ system, is the team’s ideal backup, assuming he can hold up his end of the bargain on the practice field this summer.
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