Report: New England Patriots received trade calls for QB Joe Milton

The New England Patriots reportedly received trade calls regarding QB Joe Milton, according to MassLive’s Mark Daniels. Milton enters his second year out of Tennessee.

This isn’t the first trade discussion regarding Milton, who goes into Year 2 with the Patriots. He’s currently the backup to second-year man Drake Maye.

One day after the Patriots signed fellow former Tennessee quarterback Josh Dobbs to a two-year deal to be a backup to Maye, the strong-armed Milton has become a coveted trade option for NFL teams seeking a talented backup QB with serious upside.

In fact, Milton — the former Michigan and Tennessee quarterback who was drafted by the Patriots with the 193rd-overall pick in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft — shined when he replaced Maye in last season’s finale. Milton completed 22-of-29 passes for 241 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills, who were resting many of their starters before the NFL Playoffs.

Given that debut, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport simply doesn’t see a trade happening any time soon.

“I have not heard any traction on a Joe Milton trade. I haven’t. I’ve asked plenty, I have not heard any traction,” Rapoport said on Tuesday’s The Pat McAfee Show. “I will think about this like I always think about quarterbacks — yes, could the Patriots get value for Joe Milton? They really could. Like, they really could. He is cheap, he is promising, when he played, he looked good.

“Here’s the problem: he may have to play for the Patriots. I have no idea what’s going to happen with Drake Maye, God forbid he gets injured or something, which would be terrible but sometimes does happen. He might have to play,” Rapoport added. “So, what would it be worth it to the Patriots to trade him for where you say, ‘we have to deal him, we’re getting this, and we’re not going to worry about our backup quarterback.’”