The New England Patriots used their season finale to showcase rookie quarterback Joe Milton, who helped lead an upset victory over the Buffalo Bills.
After trading Milton, the Patriots are now facing some criticism over the move.
The Patriots announced on April 2 that they traded the 25-year-old to the Dallas Cowboys, sending the quarterback and a seventh-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
Milton came to the team as a sixth-round pick last year and appeared in just one game last season, going 22-of-29 for 241 yards and one touchdown in the team's 23-16 win over the Bills. The win came at a cost for the Patriots, causing the team to move out of the No. 1 overall spot in the NFL draft and down to fourth.
As WGR 550 reporter Joe DiBiase noted, the Patriots ended up getting a paltry return on Milton in the trade with the Cowboys compared to the draft points value they lost by showcasing him in the final game and beating the Bills.
"Draft points NE gained trading Joe Milton - 28," DiBiase shared in a post on X. "Draft points NE lost by Joe Milton beating the Bills WK18 - 1200"
Reporter Keagan Stiefel of NESN also criticized the Patriots for giving up on Milton too early and accepting too little in return.
"Milton could have entered the preseason as the top trade piece on the market, with each passing performance slightly improving his trade value," Stiefel wrote. "New England knew it was never going to keep him on as a backup long-term, but allowing Milton to play things out this summer could have been advantageous as you wait for teams to get desperate toward the beginning of the regular season. Don't you think you could have received a fourth in that scenario?"
The Patriots won't get to find out the answer, though Stiefel noted that it does set up a clearer situation with Drake Maye as the starter and Josh Dobbs as backup.
Related: Cowboys New QB Joe Milton Reveals 1st Reaction to Trade
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This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 6:42 PM.