Joe Milton traded by Patriots to Cowboys
The New England Patriots have traded quarterback Joe Milton to the Dallas Cowboys. Instead of backing up Drake Maye in New England, Milton will now back up Dak Prescott in Dallas.
The Patriots announced the move Thursday afternoon, but did not reveal the terms of the trade. But New England is reportedly sending Milton and a seventh-round pick to the Cowboys and is getting a fifth-round pick back for the second-year QB, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Patriots used a sixth-round pick in 2024 to draft Milton out of Tennessee.
The selection coming to New England is Dallas' compensatory pick at No. 171 overall, according to NFL Network's Albert Breer. The Patriots now have two fifth-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft and nine picks total.
Joe Milton with the Patriots
The Patriots drafted Maye with the third overall pick last year before adding Milton to the depth chart late in the draft. He became a fan favorite after showing off his big arm, strong legs, and incredible backflips during the preseason, but spent the year behind both Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett.
But he was lauded for his work in practice and on the scout team, and Milton got his chance to shine in Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills. He replaced Maye after just one series, and went out and completed 22 of his 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-5 QB also ran for a touchdown to help the Patriots beat the Bills, 23-16.
He had reportedly expressed a desire to compete for a starting job this offseason, and the Patriots received multiple trade inquiries on Milton. He's got an established quarterback ahead of him in Prescott, but will be Dallas' primary backup after Cooper Rush left for the Baltimore Ravens this winter.
According to Jordan Schutlz of Fox Sports, the Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers also showed interest in trading for Milton. The Patriots had a better offer for Milton, "but chose to send him where he wanted out of respect for him," according to Schultz.
Breer pushed back on that though, reporting later the Dallas offer was the only one New England received for Milton.
Patriots quarterback depth chart
In trading away Milton, the Patriots are left with Maye and Josh Dobbs on their QB depth chart. Before signing Dobbs, New England reportedly told the veteran QB the team was likely going to trade Milton in the offseason and hoped to "build a QB room that was full of resources to help make Drake Maye his best," according to Breer.
"Milton's a good guy, but didn't quite fit into that vision," Breer added in his post to X.
Maye is coming off a solid rookie season and is the future of the franchise at the position. Dobbs, a five-year NFL veteran, will be his top backup, but don't be surprised if the Patriots use another late-round pick to add another quarterback to the mix.
While some fans may feel the return for Milton was not enough, the Patriots were able to add a fifth-round pick for someone who likely wasn't going to play in 2025.
