Joe Milton III
Getty
Joe Milton III
The New England Patriots have been flirting with trading QB Joe Milton III this offseason, but feelings around the physically gifted prospect from Tennessee being dealt were met with some skepticism.
Well, it would appear the whispers were true because Milton was traded on Thursday morning to the Dallas Cowboys.
Report: Joe Milton III Traded to the Dallas Cowboys
When the New England Patriots signed Joshua Dobbs earlier this offseason, some thought it could be just a depth signing behind Drake Maye and Joe Milton. Yet, it could have signaled that Milton was on the market this offseason after the team brought in another veteran quarterback with plenty of playing experience to make Milton expendable.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on X, the Dallas Cowboys sent a fifth-rounder in this draft to the Patriots in exchange for Milton and a seventh-round pick.
There is a lot to unpack for both sides in this trade. It is a bit simpler for New England, who are set on Drake Maye being their franchise quarterback moving forward after producing 17 total touchdowns to 10 interceptions over his 13 games of action his rookie year.
Yet, Milton made a compelling case as a potential starter or high-end backup in the league over his lone start of his NFL career with 241 passing yards and one score through the air with an additional 16 rushing yards and a score on the ground in the regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills last season.
On the flip side, things get rather interesting for the Cowboys. Trading for Milton does give Dallas a developmental project under center behind Dak Prescott moving forward, but one has to wonder if there is any further meaning behind this deal for a 31-year-old quarterback.
Now, the Cowboys recently gave up a fourth-round pick for Trey Lance, who was a top three pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, which didn’t threaten Prescott’s job in the slightest — but another poor showing in 2025 could make things a bit interesting under center in Dallas.
What Does This Mean for Drake Maye and the Patriots’ Strategy for the 2025 NFL Draft?
Lets start here… Acquiring a fifth-round pick isn’t likely to move the needle in a significant way regarding the Patriots’ strategy entering the 2025 NFL Draft. Yet, it does add more ammunition for the organization to surround their young franchise quarterback with talent entering his second season.
The Patriots have multiple needs on the offensive side of the football at the moment, namely at offensive tackle, wide receiver, and running back.
New England did sign Stefon Diggs to a multi-year deal earlier this offseason, but it recovering from a torn ACL at the age of 31 years old. The team could elect to take another swing at the position on a Day 3 prospect.
Additionally, this is a very deep running back class. The Patriots could land a quality running back prospect in the fifth-round of a very deep class.
Of course, New England could elect to take a developmental prospect along the offensive — which had it’s fair share of struggles in 2024.
No matter what direction the Patriots end up going in the draft, they have positioned themselves to grab a better prospect with this trade of Milton to the Cowboys.