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New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III has been rumored in trade discussions over the past few weeks. With Drake Maye set to be the team's starting quarterback of the future, the 2024 sixth-round pick could find a new home this offseason. Despite only playing in one game in his rookie campaign, Milton showed some great things in his only appearance.
Milton completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown in a Week 18 game against the Bills. The former Tennessee quarterback also ran 10 times for 16 yards and one touchdown in that contest. As a result, the 25-year-old could be a high-level backup for some teams for the next couple of seasons.
So, which teams could trade for Milton this offseason? Let's dive into five potential landing spots.
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Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to address the quarterback position this offseason. Although they could still sign Aaron Rodgers in free agency, Pittsburgh could look to add a younger quarterback via the trade market in the coming weeks. Milton could be the perfect trade target for a team that could develop him.
Joe Milton with one of the best "plays that didn't count" of the season pic.twitter.com/NuwGLcLfwD
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 5, 2025
Assuming the Steelers land Rodgers in free agency, the Tennessee product could learn behind one of those veterans for the 2025-26 season. That means he would likely be in a backup role once again, possibly even as the QB3 with the recent signing of Mason Rudolph. Rudolph has played in this Pittsburgh offense before and is just a more experienced option as the QB2.
However, Milton has the potential to develop and move up the depth chart in the coming years. The key for him will be learning and watching the game from the sidelines. This addition would give the Steelers a younger quarterback on their roster who could sit for a few years and have the chance to make an impact soon.
Dallas Cowboys
Assuming the Patriots are looking to move Milton this offseason, it's hard to imagine the Dallas Cowboys not being in on him. Just a couple of years ago, the team traded for a young quarterback with potential in Trey Lance. Although that didn't work out, the Cowboys could try again with the New England signal-caller.
Dallas is also in the market for a backup quarterback. Cooper Rush already signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, and Lance is currently a free agent. So, this is a possible landing spot for Milton. He would back up Dak Prescott for the next few years before potentially having a shot to be the team's QB1 in three years.
Given how much time Prescott has missed in recent years, Milton could be on Dallas's radar. The Cowboys quarterback has missed 26 games over the past five seasons and has only played a full season once during that span. Therefore, the Tennessee product could get some opportunities under center if he lands here.
New York Giants
At this point, no one knows what the New York Giants plan to do at quarterback for the long haul. They already added Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson in free agency and could select a quarterback in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. With the third overall pick, the Giants are in a great spot to land one of the top two quarterbacks in the class (Cameron Ward or Shedeur Sanders).
.@DerwinJames would like to see the Giants pull off a trade for current Patriots backup QB Joe Milton. pic.twitter.com/8s9xB5JMzv
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 18, 2025
New York could also be looking to upgrade its quarterback room through a trade. Given that Wilson and Winston are veterans, Milton would be a nice addition. He is just 25 years old and could be a nice backup plan if both Ward and Sanders go first and second overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
As a result, the Giants quarterback room could consist of Winston, Wilson, Milton, and Tommy DeVito in 2025. The Patriots quarterback could then have a shot to be the Giants QB3 to open the season. This is certainly a potential landing spot for the 2024 sixth-round pick, considering New York could use some young quarterback talent on its roster.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks will look a little different on offense next season. The team traded away both Geno Smith and DK Metcalf this offseason and replaced them with Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp. Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal, while Kupp agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract with the Seahawks.
Nonetheless, the Seahawks could still be in on Milton this offseason. According to reports, Seattle could get out of Darnold's contract after just one season. If he does struggle in his first year with the team, expect it to get off his contract. Therefore, the Patriots quarterback could be an option as a backup plan.
Overthecap’s breakdown of Sam Darnold’s contract. pic.twitter.com/hNdA4YV4ZN
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) March 16, 2025
The only problem is that there's a chance Milton would be Seattle's QB3 next season. With Darnold locked in as the starter and Sam Howell as the backup, the young quarterback would probably be a healthy scratch each game. So, the Seahawks might not want to give away some later-round draft picks for a quarterback they don't need this season. Still, there's a possibility it could happen.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are another team for which no one knows who will be the starting quarterback next season. Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles again in January and faces an extremely long road to recovery. In addition, the Browns traded Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick for Kenny Pickett.
However, this team isn't done adding to its quarterback room. The Browns are in a prime spot to select Ward or Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the second overall pick, there's a good chance they will take a quarterback in April's draft.
Trading for Milton could also be a possibility for the Browns. He would be a low-risk, high-reward pickup for this team and has the arm talent to be a starter in the league one day. By acquiring him from the Patriots, Cleveland could then bring in a veteran at the position and take Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter with the second overall pick. This landing spot shouldn't be ruled out for the 25-year-old.
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