With Drake Maye cementing himself as the starting quarterback in Foxborough, New England Patriots backup Joe Milton III has been frequently mentioned in trade rumors.
The Patriots drafted Joe Milton in the sixth round (193rd overall) last year. The big-armed QB out of Tennessee debuted in the Pats’ Week 18 regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills, throwing for 241 yards and a touchdown in a 23-16 victory.
New England also signed the more experienced Josh Dobbs to bolster their quarterback depth chart. And now, the Dallas Cowboys are being linked to a possible trade for the 25-year-old Milton.
Speaking on ESPN’s “NFL Live” program, insider Jeremy Fowler reports that New England is “exploring” trade options with Milton. Fowler mentioned the Dallas Cowboys as a possible landing spot for Milton:
“Joe Milton, this is a really interesting name in this quarterback carousel we’re talking about because he has trade interest. The Patriots are exploring a trade. I’m told several teams are interested. One team to potentially watch for is the Dallas Cowboys because they are looking for a good backup, a young backup with upside they may not get in the draft, maybe they get in a trade.”
The Cowboys lost Dak Prescott’s longtime backup, Cooper Rush, to the Baltimore Ravens in free agency. Third-stringer and 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance remains a free agent and is poised to find a new home.
2019 third-round pick and journeyman Will Grier is the only other quarterback on the Cowboys’ depth chart. He hasn’t played an NFL snap since his 2019 rookie year, so Dallas owner Jerry Jones certainly must bring in a more talented or experienced backup for the oft-injured Prescott.
Joe Milton Would Be An Intriguing Fit In Dallas
Prescott may have signed a lucrative contract extension last fall, but the 31-year-old certainly isn’t untouchable in Dallas. Remember, Prescott himself was a little-known 2016 fourth-round draft pick who only became Dallas’ starter because of a preseason injury to Tony Romo.
At some point, Jones’ patience with Prescott has to start wearing thin. So imagine a scenario here where Dallas acquires Milton from New England. Then Prescott struggles or gets injured, forcing Milton into action.
Well, Milton would play behind one of football’s best offensive lines with superstar CeeDee Lamb as his main weapon. Perhaps a super-athletic and dual-threat QB like Milton could flourish in Dallas if Jones gave him that opportunity down the line.
