Joe Milton

Joe Milton’s Starting Ambition, Questionable Fit With Mike Vrabel Led To Trade

While the Patriots have Drake Maye entrenched as their franchise QB moving forward, it was still a bit surprising when the organization decided to quickly move on from fellow 2024 draft pick Joe Milton. The sixth-round pick had a standout performance during New England’s season finale, and he was still locked into his rookie pact for another three years.

[RELATED: Patriots Trading Joe Milton To Cowboys]

Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal provided some insight on the move (via Bill Jones of CBS Sports Texas), noting that the Patriots were wary of another Mac Jones/Bailey Zappe situation. Milton believes he’s a future starter in the NFL, and the organization didn’t want the QB to be a locker room distraction. While the player’s ambition is obviously admirable, there was apparent concern that he could cause some disruption with no clear path to future playing time.

Perhaps more importantly, Milton wasn’t a Mike Vrabel pick, and Giardi opines that the new head coach never would have saddled himself with two rookie signal callers. The executive who made that pick, Eliot Wolf, it still leading the front office, but Giardi said there should be no confusion about who’s truly running the show. Maye also wasn’t a “Vrabel pick,” but the Milton trade signaled to the former third-overall pick that he’s the clear-cut guy in New England.

Milton’s lone NFL appearance led to one of the Patriots’ only wins in 2024 (while also hurting the team’s draft standing in the process). Milton played the majority of the snaps at QB during the season finale, completing 22 of his 29 pass attempts for 241 yards and a touchdown. The rookie also added another touchdown on the ground.

The Patriots quickly settled on their 2025 QB hierarchy, as the team added Josh Dobbs as a clear QB2 behind Maye. The Patriots later traded Milton to Dallas, with New England only receiving the ability to move up 46 draft spots late in the draft. With the Cowboys, Milton still won’t have a clear path to playing time behind Dak Prescott and the star’s lucrative contract. However, Dak’s injury history and age do provide somewhat more hope for Milton’s playing chances.

Cowboys Expected To Be Cautious With Dak Prescott During OTAs

While Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott recently expressed confidence about his recovery from a hamstring injury, he may not be a full participant when practices begin. Jon Machota of The Athletic says the Cowboys plan to be cautious with the quarterback’s recovery during OTAs and minicamp.

[RELATED: Dak Prescott Close To Full Health]

Prescott claimed last month that he was already healthy enough to play in a game, and this followed earlier reports that the quarterback would likely be ready to go for May practices. The veteran underwent surgery for a partial avulsion of his hamstring tendon in November, so the expedited timeline wasn’t completely unfounded.

Entering the first year of a four-year, $240MM extension signed last September, Prescott and the Cowboys are naturally being cautious with his return to the field. In addition to protecting the asset, there are some other positives to limiting the player’s practice reps.

As Machota notes, there should be more opportunities for Joe Milton to get acclimated with his new team during those early practices. The 2024 sixth-round pick was traded from the Patriots to the Cowboys last month, and after mostly serving as a third-string QB as a rookie, Milton will now enter his sophomore season as Prescott’s primary backup.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Jerry Jones recently told reporters that Trevon Diggs could open the season on the physically unable to perform list (per ESPN’s Todd Archer). After missing most of the 2023 season with a torn ACL, his comeback campaign in 2024 ended early thanks to an injury in the same knee. Sam Williams is also recovering from a torn ACL suffered last summer, but Jones said the defensive end is basically fully recovered.

Raiders Wanted Joe Milton, Still Might Draft QB

Deciding to try and improve on a depth chart topped by Aidan O’Connell at quarterback this offseason, the Raiders’ new leadership opted to trade for former Seahawks veteran Geno Smith. Las Vegas wasn’t done there as they were reportedly interested in trading for a backup quarterback, as well, per Vic Tafur of The Athletic.

The day after the Raiders acquired Smith, reports claimed that the team could still potentially draft a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While that seems less likely after Smith’s two-year extension, it became clear that Vegas was not through addressing the quarterback position.

According to Tafur, after news that the team was still considering a first-round passer, the Raiders were in trade talks for former Patriots backup quarterback Joe Milton. A sixth-round rookie out of Tennessee last year, Milton served as a third-string and scout team quarterback for much of the season behind Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett. Milton felt like insurance in case Maye didn’t pan out early, but Maye showed decent promise in 2024.

While most of Milton’s impact came on the practice field, he got to play some significant snaps in the team’s season finale. Milton impressed by completing 76 percent of his passes for 241 yards and a touchdown, adding 16 yards and a score on the ground, as well. Milton’s impressive showing drew interest from across the league, and while it sounds like Las Vegas was seriously in the running, Dallas ended up acquiring the second-year backup.

After failing to bring Milton in, the Raiders are still considered a team likely to pursue a passer at some point in the draft. General manager John Spytek confirmed as much, telling Raiders columnist Paul Gutierrez that they “remain open-minded…to the most important position in sports.” The team has all seven of their original draft picks, as well as two additional sixth-rounders, so there will be several opportunities to target a new passer.

It will be interesting to see who has more pull in the draft room next week in Las Vegas: veteran head coach Pete Carroll or the rookie general manager. According to another quote provided from Gutierrez, neither seems to have final say over the other Carroll said they would “work it out,” while Spytek added that “if there’s no consensus, (they) probably don’t take him.”

AFC East Notes: Campbell, Milton, Jets, Bills

Likely holding the right of first refusal with this draft’s tackle class, the Patriots continue to be tied to LSU’s Will Campbell. Pats-Campbell connections have persisted for an extended stretch, as the team’s free agency activity brought in many high-profile options but did not produce a left tackle addition. While Morgan Moses is coming into play right tackle, a rookie is likely to join him. As of now, Campbell appears the frontrunner. The Patriots are believed to prefer Campbell at No. 4, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes. Although Pauline adds considerable in-house support for Missouri’s Armand Membou exists, he may need to wait a bit longer to hear his name called. The Pats have been high on Campbell for a while, as arm-length concerns appear to have been overblown, and Mike Vrabel pointed to the draft as a good way the team can address its LT issue. Vrabel added (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed) he believes LT starters are in this draft.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • The Pats unloaded popular reserve QB Joe Milton in a trade, dealing him to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick. This represented a net gain for New England, which drafted Milton in last year’s sixth round. Vrabel pointed to a lack of reps being available behind Drake Maye and UFA pickup Josh Dobbs as the main reason for Milton’s early exit. “Well, we felt like that his reps were going to be decreased as we worked through the offseason,” Vrabel said (via Kyed). “And we felt like just like every other decision, we’re going to try to do what’s best for the team, and that’s the decision that we ultimately made. And so, excited to move forward with Drake and Josh.” Three years remain on Milton’s rookie contract.
  • The Jets signed Josh Reynolds and worked out a pay-cut agreement with Allen Lazard. This makes the team unlikely to also add one of the 30-something wide receivers still in free agency, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen and Tyler Lockett remain unsigned. The trio may need to wait until the post-draft deadline pertaining to the 2026 compensatory formula to find homes, as the draft will also provide clarity regarding teams’ receiver needs.
  • Staying with the Jets, Cimini noted in a previous piece Rick Spielman‘s presence in the team’s GM hiring process, one that ended with Darren Mougey landing the job, did not sit well with some of the candidates who interviewed. Although Mougey had not previously worked with Spielman, Mougey’s former boss — Broncos GM George Paton — was Spielman’s assistant GM in Minnesota. Paton gave Mougey a strong endorsement to ex-boss, according to Cimini, and some who lost out on the job connected the dots. Familiarity often leads to hirings at the executive or coaching level, though it is interesting Spielman — who had been out of the NFL until the Jets added him to lead the HC/GM hiring process — is staying on to help Mougey in a full-time role. It is worth wondering if all the candidates interviewed would have kept Spielman on.
  • Holding 10 picks, the Bills profile as a team who could move up in the draft. One scout informed ESPN.com’s Matt Miller a Buffalo move up for an impact first-round defender is a scenario to monitor. Cornerback represents a spot to follow regarding the Bills’ first-round pick, ESPN.com’s Field Yates adds. Buffalo has not re-signed Rasul Douglas, and Dane Jackson does not profile as a surefire starter opposite the recently extended Christian Benford.
  • The Bills used a “30” visit on Texas A&M defensive end Nic Scourton, ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds. Our Ely Allen profiled Scourton recently, and a few teams have met with the ex-Aggies regular. The Bills added Michael Hoecht and Joey Bosa in free agency and still roster A.J. Epenesa; Bosa and Epenesa, however, are on expiring contracts.

Patriots Notes: Barmore, Van Pelt, Milton

Christian Barmore missed most of last season with recurring symptoms from blood clots, but he’s expected to be a full participant at Patriots practices. Mike Vrabel told reporters (including ESPN’s Mike Reiss) that Barmore has been given clearance to participate in the team’s voluntary offseason program, which started today.

“He popped in the other day to see the doctors. When he walked into the training room, just his energy and presence, so I know that he’s feeling better,” Vrabel said last week (via Reiss).

“We’ll continue to evaluate him. It’s something very serious. We take the health of our players extremely serious, especially when you’re talking about something like blood clots, and we’re going to have a great plan for him.”

Barmore inked a four-year, $92MM deal ($41.8MM guaranteed) last offseason, but he proceeded to miss the first 10 games of the season after being diagnosed with blood clots. He returned for four games late in the year, but he subsequently landed on the non-football illness list after experiencing recurring symptoms.

Fortunately, it sounds like Barmore will be able to resume his NFL career in 2025. The defensive lineman had a breakout season when he was last healthy in 2023, compiling 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. The Patriots will presumably pencil Barmore in next to free agent acquisition Milton Williams on the defensive line.

More notes out of New England…

  • The Patriots have made plenty of additions to their roster this offseason, but the team is still searching for help at certain positions. Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston expects the team to make an addition to their running backs corps, a group that currently consists of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald notes that Vrabel has also expressed interest in adding to the position via the draft, while ESPN’s Mike Reiss wonders if the team could eye a versatile, pass-catching RB that resembles former Patriots mainstays like Kevin Faulk, James White, and Danny Woodhead.
  • Former offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt only lasted one season in New England, and the organization’s decision to change coaching staffs will cost a pretty penny. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the Patriots still owe Van Pelt a little under $6MM over the next two years. Many of the other departed coaches on Jerod Mayo‘s staff still had one year remaining on their contracts.
  • The timing of the recent Joe Milton trade was plenty deliberate by the Patriots. According to Reiss, the organization wanted to deal the quarterback before the start of the team’s voluntary offseason program. Specifically, Vrabel believes this is an important date for “establishing team culture and the dynamic that ideally unfolds within each position group”…a pretty clear hint that the team wanted to avoid any type of QB controversy, no matter how unlikely. The Patriots dealt the 2024 r0okie for a fifth-round selection, leaving Joshua Dobbs as the clear backup to hopeful franchise QB Drake Maye.

Patriots Trading Joe Milton To Cowboys

The Patriots are trading quarterback Joe Milton to the Cowboys, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Dallas will send one of its fifth-round compensatory picks in April’s draft to New England in exchange for Milton and a seventh-rounder, according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. The Patriots received the 171st overall pick and the Cowboys now have the 217th overall pick, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Milton was a sixth-round pick in 2024 who spent his rookie year as the Patriots’ QB3 behind No. 3 pick Drake Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett. The 6-foot-5, 246-pound Milton brings a rare set of physical tools, including an especially powerful arm. He impressed in his lone appearance last season, completing 22 of his 29 passes for 241 yards, one touchdown, and a 111.4 passer rating in Week 18 against the Bills.

That performance helped to generate some trade buzz surrounding Milton, which picked up after the Patriots signed Joshua Dobbs. Dobbs arrived in New England to take over Brissett’s role, keeping Milton third on the depth chart with little potential for playing time. Milton was not seen as “an ideal backup” for Maye, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. The team even told Dobbs that they were looking to trade Milton in order to build their quarterback room around Maye and prioritize his development, per Breer.

Milton also wanted out of New England, seeing himself as a future starter and knowing he would have a better chance at seeing the field elsewhere, both in the short- and long-term. The Patriots granted permission for Milton to seek a trade, per Schultz, and the Cowboys “showed the most interest from the start.” The two teams had been negotiating for a few weeks before talks accelerated at league meetings in Florida, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

A number of other teams expressed interest in trading for Milton, according to Schultz, including the Raiders, Eagles, Giants, and Steelers. The Patriots had at least one better offer on the table, but worked with Milton to send him to his preferred landing spot in Dallas.

“My family grew up a Cowboys fan,” said Milton (via Schultz). “My mom always had a Cowboys shirt on. She always talked about them. Living in Texas has been a longtime dream of mine. And now I’m with them. I’m ready to work.”

Milton will arrive in Dallas as the presumptive backup to Dak Prescott. The Cowboys explored an extension with 2024 backup Trey Lance after Prescott went down last season, per Archer, but the former No. 3 pick remains a free agent. Dallas also had interest in Brissett and Drew Lock in free agency, according to Archer.

Milton has three years and $3.2MM remaining on his contract, per OverTheCap, while Brissett’s shorter, two-year deal with the Cardinals is worth three times as much. With Prescott still commanding the highest salary in the NFL, the Cowboys opted to trade for a young, cost-controlled with developmental upside over the next three years.

Patriots’ Joe Milton Drawing Trade Interest; QB Interested In Being Moved

Mentioned as a 2025 trade chip, Joe Milton continues to see a path back to a second Patriots season appear murky. The Josh Dobbs signing began the trade buzz involving the rocket-armed backup, and it persists.

Milton is drawing trade interest, according to MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian and Mark Daniels, who add the quarterback does not appear against a move. Milton would prefer to be dealt to a place that offers a chance to compete for a starting job, and multiple trade inquiries have come the Patriots’ way.

That is blocked in New England, but most other teams do not have open jobs. A handful do, however, and some other teams — the Rams, Saints and Giants, to name three — have older QBs in place for 2025 but questions for 2026. Milton would profile as an interesting lottery ticket, but as a sixth-round pick last year, the Tennessee alum may not be drawing interest as a potential starter option.

As it stands, Milton is unlikely to fetch a Day 2 pick in a trade, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. One game against Bills backups (and some training camp buzz last summer) likely will not overtake six years of college work that pegged him as a sixth-round talent. While carrying one of the NFL’s strongest arms, Milton still profiles as a project. Though, teams could definitely come up with much less exciting QB2 options.

Everybody wants to play. Everybody wants to be the starter, everybody and that’s great to have that attitude,” Mike Vrabel said. “And he was ready for his opportunity there late in the season, which I commend him on, just like I would any player that sat there and went through a long season, a difficult season, and then got the opportunity, went out, won a football game, played well, helped his team win.”

And then where that leads to, we’ll see as the draft approaches, or where Joe is on April 7 to start our offseason program. But you have to give Joe credit for being ready to go, going from the third quarterback to being able to win that football game and stay ready and stay hungry.”

If the Patriots cannot obtain a Day 2 pick for Milton, it is worth wondering if they will stand down. A report last month indicated a Day 2 pick as the target in a trade. Although the draft profiles as the NFL’s second trade window annually, Guregian and Daniels note a trade involving Milton likely would not happen until after the draft due to teams’ depth charts being in flux during the three-day event. A team that does not see its QB plans unfold to its liking could take a flier on Milton, who would at least bring appeal as a player signed at sixth-round money through 2027.

The Pats have Dobbs in place as their Maye backup now, and plenty of depth chart changes — a few involving former Titans — have occurred during Vrabel’s first weeks on the job. It will be interesting to see if the Pats hang onto Milton while holding out for at least a mid-round selection or if they are interested in beginning OTAs with a locked-in QB room.

Joe Milton Trade Buzz Persists; Patriots Aiming To Move On?

When the Patriots signed Joshua Dobbs, a subsequent rumor about a potential Joe Milton trade surfaced. The cannon-armed New England reserve is not in position to back up Drake Maye next season, and the Pats look to be interested in seeing what market could emerge for their Week 18 starter.

Impressing during Patriots training camp last year, Milton faded into the background as Maye showed early promise. But interest appears to remain in the Tennessee alum. A growing sentiment exists that the Patriots are listening to trade offers on the 2024 sixth-round pick, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin notes.

With Maye the unquestioned starter and Dobbs set to be his backup for a new coaching staff, Volin adds the Patriots are probably aiming to trade Milton this offseason. Doing so would reaffirm an organizational commitment to Maye, whose arm strength is not on Milton’s level. Though no quarterback controversy exists, Milton buzz did percolate during Pats camp last year. That now can be used as trade hype, as the Mike Vrabel regime appears interested in gauging a market early.

Three years remain on Milton’s rookie contract, adding value for teams here. It would be a stretch for a team to trade for Milton viewing him as a potential 2025 starter, but the NFL has a handful of QB-needy teams. Beyond the Giants and Steelers, the Browns and Titans join the Vikings in being interested in at least a potential starter. Milton may not check in as such, despite playing in Week 18 — a Patriots win over Bills second-stringers that dropped New England’s draft slot to No. 4 overall — but he would be an intriguing option during an offseason featuring aging bridge possibilities and a maligned QB rookie class.

The Pats moved off previous backup/late-season starter Bailey Zappe to make room for Milton last year, and while they would need a new third-string option if they deal Milton, a market probably exists. A trade that brings back a Day 2 pick should be the goal here, Volin writes, potentially pointing to the Patriots hanging onto the younger of their two reserve QBs if Day 3 choices are offered. A Day 2 selection is aiming high for a player chosen 193rd overall, and one who is already 25 after spending six years in college.

But Milton goes 6-foot-5, 246 pounds, presenting some rushing ability (as evidenced by a 4.63-second 40-yard time last year) along with arm talent. A team not enamored with this year’s draft class could look to Milton, with market factors likely influencing a potential Patriots push for a Day 2 pick to move on early.

Patriots To Sign QB Josh Dobbs, Open To Trading Joe Milton

A busy day for the Patriots now includes a backup quarterback addition. Josh Dobbs is headed to New England on a two-year deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

This pact has a maximum value of $8MM, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes. He adds Dobbs will collect $3.8MM guaranteed. The journeyman will be in position to serve as an experienced backup for Drake Maye moving forward, a role Jacoby Brissett held at the end of the 2024 campaign.

The Patriots will continue Dobbs’ journey around the NFL. While not exactly close to Josh Johnson territory, Dobbs is heading to a ninth NFL team. He comes to New England after a season as San Francisco’s third-string quarterback. Brock Purdy sitting out Week 18 last season did led to a Dobbs start, however, and he impressed. Dobbs completed 29 of 43 passes for 326 yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions.

While Dobbs dropped a notable performance to close out the season, he was never viewed as likely to re-sign with the 49ers. The team added him last year but bumped 2023 third-stringer Brandon Allen up to QB2, leaving Dobbs — a starter for the Cardinals and Vikings in 2023 — an afterthought until that inconsequential Week 18 game. Dobbs will replace Brissett as Maye’s backup, coming after Brissett had shown pessimism about being back in New England.

Dobbs, 30, has made stops with the Steelers, Jaguars, Browns, Lions and Titans before his three-team 2024. The Titans had used Dobbs as a late-season starter, playing him in front of Malik Willis late in the ’22 season on short notice. The Browns traded Dobbs to the Cardinals just before the 2023 season, and he started eight games for the rebuilding team. Dobbs was needed soon on short notice yet again, as the Vikings turned to him shortly after a deadline-day trade. Dobbs’ Titans tenure is relevant once again, as Mike Vrabel will bring him back despite only coaching him for two games.

For his career, the QB/rocket scientist is a 62.7% passer who has gone 3-12 in starts. A rebuilding Cardinals operation is largely responsible for tanking Dobbs’ win/loss record. He has managed to remain a viable option for several years, moving up from the practice squad level as of late. The Patriots no longer need a Maye bridge, but they will slide Dobbs in behind the prized prospect on their depth chart.

As Dobbs will settle in as the Pats’ QB2, the team is interested in seeing what it could land for Joe Milton. The cannon-armed passer, who started for Maye in Week 18, is coming up in trades, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. While the Patriots are high on the 2024 sixth-round pick, Maye is the team’s unquestioned starter and Dobbs is now on track to back him up. Three years remain on the Tennessee prospect’s rookie contract, and the Patriots have discussed him with teams already.

Adam La Rose contributed to this report.

Trade Candidate: Bailey Zappe

The Patriots completely revamped their QB depth chart this offseason, but there is still one holdover at the position. 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe is still kicking around at the bottom of New England’s roster, but it remains to be seen if the third-year pro will still be on the squad come September.

Zappe has had an uneven two years in New England, although the Western Kentucky product hasn’t looked completely helpless in his handful of starts. During his rookie season, he sparked a brief QB controversy after guiding New England’s woeful offense to a pair of victories. However, Zappe slid back down the depth chart when Mac Jones returned from injury, and the Patriots were expected to continue with that same hierarchy for the 2023 campaign.

Zappe ended up struggling under new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, leading to him being a surprise cut towards the end of the preseason. The second-year QB quickly landed on New England’s practice squad, and he was signed back to the active roster in early September. Still, the roster machinations proved that the Patriots were willing to let the player walk for nothing, and the apparent lack of interest from opposing squads proved their wasn’t a whole lot of league-wide intrigue in the signal-caller.

The backup QB managed to bounce back and (somewhat) rehabilitate his image during the 2023 campaign. With Jones and the Patriots offense continuing to struggle, Zappe ended up garnering six starts in New England. His numbers weren’t pretty (59.9 completion percentage, 2.8 touchdown percentage, 4.2 interception percentage), but he was notably under center for two of the team’s four wins. While nobody is confusing Zappe with a starting quarterback, the player at least proved that he wouldn’t compromise his team’s chances if inserted into the lineup.

With the Patriots navigating a post-Bill Belichick era this offseason, the organization decided to completely revamp their QB room. The team used the third-overall pick on Drake Maye, pairing the rookie with veteran acquisition (and old friend) Jacoby Brissett. The organization also used a sixth-round selection on Joe Milton III, a series of moves that seemed to push Zappe off the roster. Reports from earlier this offseason indicated that the Patriots wanted to resolve their QB jam as quickly as possibly, allowing the coaching staff to better evaluate their three sure-thing QBs. That could have led to a speedy cut for Zappe, but the QB is still sticking around the roster.

While the Patriots could claim that Zappe is competing with Milton for the QB3 role, there’s little chance the rebuilding squad will prefer the third-year player to the rookie. So, it seems more likely that the organization is holding on to Zappe until a QB-needy team comes knocking. Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald indicated as much last month, noting that a Zappe trade remains a possibility for the organization. While teams didn’t show interest in Zappe last year, Callahan believes there could be a market for the player in the coming months, especially as teams face injuries during the preseason.

Callahan suggests that the Patriots could fetch a late-round pick in return for Zappe, or the front office could attach a pick to the QB for a better return. Considering the player’s track record, Zappe would probably be more appealing to teams that lose key backups vs. those that lose a starting QB. Of course, in order for the Patriots to avoid a staring match where a Zappe suitor simply awaits the player’s inevitable release, New England would require multiple trade partners to join the fray. Zappe’s most-recent deal with the Patriots keeps him under contract through the 2024 campaign on an easily-manageable $985K cap hit.

It seems like a foregone conclusion that Bailey Zappe won’t be sticking around New England for the 2024 campaign. However, it remains to be seen if the front office will be able to garner a return for the impending third-year QB.