The New England Patriots traded away Joe Milton after one season, but didn’t get much in return.
Was it a tough trade market, or did New England get the worst of the deal with the Dallas Cowboys?
Here’s how media outlets across New England the NFL graded the deal where Milton and a seventh-round pick were traded for a fifth-round pick.
The Athletic: “C” for Patriots, “B” for Cowboys
The Athletic’s Jeff Howe described Milton as a “lottery ticket” that the Cowboys could love if he pans out and develops into a starter.
As for the Patriots, Howe admitted that some fans won’t like it.
"The backup quarterback is typically one of the most popular people in town, so there will be fans who hate this decision," he wrote. “Those feelings will be justified if Milton ever has any success as a starter. But by moving on, the Patriots announced their priorities were elsewhere on the roster."
ESPN: “A-” for Cowboys, “C” for Patriots
ESPN’s Seth Walder liked the move for Dallas, not as much for the Patriots.
"If the Patriots were going to move on from Milton, I thought they would get more than this,“ He wrote. ”He was a sixth-round pick a year ago and -- even with all the caveats of the circumstances of his one game -- surely his stock has gone up since then, right? Instead, they got back only close to what they paid for him. Several teams will surely use a fifth- or sixth-round pick on shaky QB prospects later this month."
CBS Sports: “A” for Cowboys, “B” for Patriots
CBS’ Bryan DeArdo gave out high grades for this deal. He likes Milton’s potential in Dallas. Meanwhile, he was one of the most generous when it came to the return the Patriots got. He noted that teams have been more guarded with their draft picks than ever.
"Let’s compare it to the Philadelphia Eagles’ recent trade of backup quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Cleveland Browns," DeArdo wrote. “Philadelphia sent Pickett to Cleveland in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick and fellow backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. In essence, the Patriots received the same compensation from Dallas as Philadelphia did for Pickett, a former first-round pick with 25 career starts who will reportedly get a chance to compete for the starting job in Cleveland.“
Pats Pulpit: “C” for Patriots
Bernd Buchmasser, Matt St. Jean and Pat Lane all gave “C” grades for the trade.