For QB-needy NFL teams: Patriots’ Joe Milton III is worth a call
The Patriots No. 2 option is dripping with potential.
Of course, it sounds irrational.
Joe Milton III, New England’s sixth-round selection last year, has played just one NFL game. One. He spent the entire season buried on the Patriots’ depth chart, a developmental project on a team that drafted their hopeful franchise quarterback — North Carolina’s Drake Maye — with the No. 3 overall pick. And after just one season, it certainly looks like Maye is the future. But in that one game, that meaningless Week 18 contest versus the Buffalo Bills, Milton shined.
Milton didn’t just play well — he commanded the moment. Thrust into action early after Maye’s brief cameo, he completed an efficient 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown, adding another score with his legs. The Patriots walked away with a 23-16 victory, a win that inadvertently knocked them out of the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. Patriots fans lamented the loss of security for a potential Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter selection — rightfully so. But the real story was the sixth-round rookie’s play.
Yes, the Bills primarily rolled out their backups. But that doesn’t diminish what Milton put on tape — tape I sifted through after I found out teams held interest in the Patriots’ No. 2 option. He was decisive, composed, confident, and aggressive, slinging darts to every level of the field.
His most tantalizing moment? On the run, Milton fired a perfectly placed frozen rope to Kayshon Boutte for a 48-yard touchdown.
Surely, Milton’s raw capabilities, young age, and incredibly strong arm would be more intriguing than an elder option like Aaron Rodgers, who is dragging out his decision with the hope the correct one will lead to an unlikely renaissance.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to address the quarterback position while waiting for Rodgers’ decision. Ultimately, I believe his decision will come soon, given the Giants’ recent signing of Russell Wilson. He’ll likely choose the Steelers, but the Vikings are a dark-horse team that could lure the 41-year-old signal caller away from Steel City. Milton’s strong arm would be a perfect fit in Pittsburgh with the field-stretching duo of DK Metcalf and George Pickens.
Another team that would make sense for Milton is the New Orleans Saints. Derek Carr is 33 years old and didn’t look great this past season. The Saints were one of the worst offenses in football. They desperately need an infusion of youth and upside at the quarterback position. Carr's contract makes him immovable in the short term, but Milton could provide the perfect developmental bridge. His rocket arm would pair beautifully with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed's deep-threat capabilities.
I’d mention the Titans, but as the draft process moves along, the feeling is that Cam Ward is a shoo-in to be the pick at No. 1. The Miami product has seemingly separated himself from Shedeur Sanders during the pre-draft circuit, dazzling scouts with his combination of arm talent and improvisational skills. Tennessee's regime, led by Brian Callahan, seems all-in on finding their franchise quarterback, and Ward has fans in that building. However, who’s to say they won’t take Carter or Hunter still? Could Milton serve as a bridge quarterback with upside if they prefer the former or the latter? Perhaps.
Right now, reports are saying that the Patriots would be looking for a second or third-round pick in return for Milton. Of course, teams might balk at sending a day-two pick for a former sixth-rounder with one start. But in a QB-desperate league, traits often win out. Milton is what regimes are looking for in a franchise quarterback: young, strong-armed, and athletic.
Wouldn’t it be more intriguing to see what 25-year-old Joe Milton could become instead of betting on Rodgers turning the clock back just two years removed from a torn Achilles? Not to mention, Rodgers will likely command north of $20 million per year compared to Milton’s $1 million per year.
Yet, we continue to wait for the Rodgers saga to end. It’s been milked out for far too long now. For teams that come short in the sweepstakes, Milton remains an intriguing alternative.
The Patriots aren’t in any rush to trade Milton — good No. 2 quarterbacks are invaluable in today’s NFL. But if the right offer comes, New England won’t hesitate to move him. And for a QB-needy team, the real question isn’t what Milton is right now — it’s what he could become.
Wouldn’t that be worth the gamble?