The New England Patriots have their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye. That much is obvious. But they also have a very intriguing backup in Joe Milton III.
The Patriots drafted both Maye and Milton last year, taking Maye with the third overall pick and then selecting Milton in the sixth round.
Milton was always a compelling prospect coming out of Tennessee thanks to his size and his dual-threat capabilities, and that was on full display in New England's regular-season finale, when the 6-foot-5 signal-caller went 22-for-29 with 241 yards and a touchdown. He also punched in a rushing score.
As a result of Milton's impressive outing in his lone start of 2024, trade speculation has surgeda round the 24-year-old, and Greg A. Bedard of The Boston Sports Journal has revealed that the Pats are considering moving him in the coming weeks or months.
"What I reported at the Senior Bowl, and it's not exactly like a breaking news sounder or something like that, but the chatter from the All-Star circuit, whether it's the East-West and also the Senior Bowl, was that the Patriots are toying with the idea of making Joe Milton available," Bedard said on 98.5 The Sports Hub. "I'm sure they're taking calls if people do call. I think it would be wise."
It certainly would be wise considering that Milton is more than likely never going to get the chance to become a full-time starter in Foxborough, so the Patriots may as well see if they can pluck a decent draft pick for the youngster this offseason.
There are plenty of quarterback-needy teams around the league who may not get a shot at Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward this April (like the Las Vegas Raiders, for instance), so New England may be able to find a taker for Milton.
