The Patriots went into the 2025 offseason with not much hope of improving their roster by trading away players they had on the team. Unlike previous years, there weren't many superstars who would be desirable by teams around the league, nor anyone on an expiring contract that would make sense to move before they walked for nothing next year.
That put them in a position of needing to trade for players instead, which they have yet to do, especially ahead of the draft. But recent chatter about one of their younger players is beginning to catch some fire, with a few teams rumored to be interested in a deal.
Besides the obvious players who would garner some attention from teams like CB Christian Gonzalez, the only other player who has had teams calling New England over the past few weeks is second-year quarterback Joe Milton III. He was picked in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and was expected to be Drake Maye's backup, and he filled that role impressively, even ending the season with a win over the Bills.
That piqued the interest of teams looking for a quarterback this offseason, especially since the incoming class is not all that impressive or deep. The Patriots might have the option to trade Milton for draft capital because of that, and now there is an unexpected team reportedly potentially interested in making that happen.
NFL insider suggests the Cowboys are a team who might have their eyes on Joe Milton III
During an appearance on ESPN's NFL Live last week, insider Jeremy Fowler discussed the Patriots' current situation and the ongoing rumors surrounding the potential trade of Milton before next month's draft.
That's when he suggested the Cowboys could be a team that might make the call to New England about Milton, but not as a starter. Because they recently extended QB Dak Prescott, they'd be looking at Milton for a backup role, which might be their best option considering the less-than-exciting draft class.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said the #Cowboys are a team that could be interested in trading for QB Joe Milton.
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) March 22, 2025
If they’re looking for a QB to develop behind Dak Prescott, Milton could be an option if they don’t land someone in the draft.
(🎥: NFL Live 3/19/25) pic.twitter.com/fTTkv4i6kD
It might not be the perfect situation for Milton, who hopes to be a starter in the league at some point, but it could be a better place for him now and for the Patriots to get something in return.
The Cowboys are much closer to being contenders, which might also play a role in the Patriots decision. But they haven't explicitly said that Milton is available to trade for. From what has been reported thus far, they like him and would be good with keeping him around, especially now that Maye will be the official starter in Week 1.
At the same time, though, if they want to add more draft capital this year, they might need to move a player that teams are calling about if the price is right, and they're allegedly hoping for a third-round pick to trade Milton.
We'll have to wait and see what they ultimately decide, and perhaps more interest from teams as the draft nears will be the deciding factor in what they choose to do.