NFL reporter has wild take on Joe Milton's future with the Patriots

After the Patriots selected Drake Maye as the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they thought they had found the quarterback they needed to take over the team. Although that looks accurate, Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf decided to double dip at the position and drafted Joe Milton III in the sixth round.

It was an unexpected move, not just because they had already picked Maye but also because Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe were already on the roster. Therefore, adding another quarterback into the equation was unexpected.

Because of that, Wolf was asked about the decision to draft Milton, and he put it simply by stating that the quarterback had too much talent to pass on. He had become known for his talent during his career at Tennessee, mainly due to his stature and impressive arm talent to make deep throws.

Where he would fit on the roster has been a question since the draft, but the assumption has been he would bump Zappe off the team and become, at the very least, the backup to Brissett and Maye.

Some others have shared their takes on what the Patriots will ultimately do with Milton, with the latest coming from NFL reporter Steve Wyche, who has a wild take on what the quarterback's future might look like.

Steve Wyche believes the Patriots might trade Joe Milton III before even using him in a game

Because the most likely outcome of the quarterbacks this season is for Brissett to start the year with Maye eventually taking over, if not sitting his entire rookie year, some believe Milton will be on the outside looking in and will never get a proper shot at being the starting quarterback for any team.

Given that he was a sixth-round draft pick, those odds are certainly stacked in his favor.

Even if he performs well throughout the summer and preseason, his chances of winning the starting job over his teammates appear slim, which Wyche believes means the Patriots could trade him for future draft picks.

"There's Jacoby Brissett, the veteran, in New England. Joe Milton, at the best, is going to be the No. 3 quarterback. Whether they open the season with Jacoby Brissett as the starter or with Drake Maye as the starter with Jacoby Brissett backing him up. That is the dynamic.

"Now, Joe Milton, we saw the talent in the full season as the starter at Tennessee. Joe Milton, first off, has to establish himself as an NFL player. One way or another, Drake Maye's going to finish the season as the starter, unless he gets injured. Let's say Joe Milton shows some stuff in preseason, maybe they can trade him for some assets."

This was a talking point in the days after the draft, with some suggesting that eventually trading the quarterback was the plan all along for Mayo and Wolf. However, neither has given any indication of that being true, and it's far too early in the offseason to assume anything about Milton's future might look like.

Keeping Milton on the roster, even as the primary backup, would be a wise move by New England if he proves to be a formidable player. Clearly, Brissett is not the long-term answer, and beyond his one-year contract, he could remain with the team as a veteran backup.

Zappe's future with the team looks more bleak, and if he is released like most analysts believe he will be, then Milton instantly earns a spot on the roster. The Patriots would risk a lot going into the regular season with only two quarterbacks on the team, so keeping Milton would make a lot of sense.

On top of that, he would have to truly impress throughout training camp for a team to inquire about making a trade, and it's fair to assume he would be a backup on another team even if he were dealt. So, how do the Patriots really benefit from making that move?

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