The New England Patriots reportedly traded quarterback Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. The deal involves Milton and a Pats seventh-round 2025 pick for a 2025 fifth-round pick. Milton was a sixth-round pick in 2024.
Milton played in one game last year, but was so dynamic that offseason trade rumors involving him seemingly started immediately. Surely, he would have some trade value. He was unlikely to play much in New England as the team also chose Drake Maye.
Maye was good last season as a rookie and should be even better in the future. Milton might be good enough to earn playing time, but that wouldn't happen with the Pats. But the Cowboys should beware. Milton was good against the Buffalo Bills in the last game of the 2024 season, but the Bills were also playing a lot of backups.
Winners and losers from the New England Patriots trading Joe Milton III
Winner - Drake Maye
Not that Maye might have been thoroughly looking over his shoulder at who his backup is, but after how well Milton played in one game last year, had Maye started 2025 poorly, many Pats fans might have been screaming to put Milton in. That shouldn't happen, of course, because Maye is a good quarterback, but the most popular player on any given team is the backup quarterback.
With Milton gone, Maye is the clear QB1 for as long as the offensive line can keep him healthy. This is Maye's team now and in the future, and the prospect of Milton being on the team is no longer a potential shadow hanging over QB1.
Loser - 2024 Patriots draft (and partially the future)
Yes, Milton was not chosen until the sixth round, but taking two quarterbacks in the same draft, especially when one was the number three pick, was weird. The Patriots have several needs in the draft, and while they chose offensive linemen early, they could have taken another, and that would have been a wiser move than a second quarterback.
The team could have taken center Beaux Limmer at the same spot where Milton was taken. Milton was picked 193 overall, and Limmer was picked 217. Limmer started 14 games for the Los Angeles Rams last season, and he could have been New England's long-term center.
Winner - Joshua Dobbs
One former Tennessee Volunteer leaves, and one is likely elevated in New England. Dobbs has bounced around the league since 2018. The Patriots will be his sixth team. There was no guarantee that he would make the Pats, but now he probably will.
New England could still sign another free-agent quarterback, but there is no real need. Dobbs has starting experience and is smart enough to adapt quickly to any scheme. He is a solid backup who hopefully never needs to play.
Loser - De facto general manager Eliot Wolf
Getting a fifth-round choice back for Milton is iffy. This is especially true as New England sent a seventh-round choice along with Milton in return for the seventh-rounder. The odd part is that, according to Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, the Patriots had a better offer for Milton but chose to trade the quarterback where he would be happy.
That is a lot of love to show for a player who spent one year with the Patriots. So, Wolf and the New England decision-makers decided to take less for a player who will never play for them again and has accrued one year in the NFL? That's not smart.