Since this offseason kicked off, the New England Patriots have long been rumored to entertain the idea of a trade involving quarterback Joe Milton III following his impressive play in Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills.
It's an intriguing hypothetical, but one with a bit of unknowingness as well. Would the Patriots be interested in trading their young asset after just a one-game sample size? Who would have interest in Milton's services? What would a trade package look like involving the New England quarterback?
There's a lot to unpack revolving around a move for the sixth-round signal caller, but per some new developments from NFL insider Tony Grossi, we could have an idea of what the Patriots could be looking for in a potential move for Milton.
According to Grossi, the Patriots are asking for a third-round pick in exchange for Milton.
"Sources closer to the situation than me expect the asking price of the Patriots to be a third-round pick," Grossi said. "I’m not sure I’d make that deal, but I would definitely inquire to see if some conditions could be negotiated to make the deal more equitable. What about a fourth-round pick in 2026 that improves to a third if Milton plays a certain percentage of offensive snaps? He’s an intriguing talent, but far from a developed product."
Milton does have some appeal as a quarterback option for needy teams around the league, though it comes through a bit of a limited sample size.
The Tennessee product emerged in the first half of the last week of the season for the first and only showing of his rookie campaign, and while it was strong in its own right, it remains to be seen if that performance was enough to give team reason to deal a day two pick to New England for his services.
At 6-foot-5 with impressive arm strength and talent, as well as worthwhile physicals, there's a world where Milton can be a nice option under center in the league, even if that isn't stationed in New England as Drake Maye is primed to hold down the fort for the foreseeable future. The Patriots also agreed to a two-year deal this offseason with Joshua Dobbs, providing more security in the quarterback room for this season and next.
As a result, it could inevitably lead to a trade coming to form to ship the 25-year-old elsewhere for that opportunity, but time will tell if an opposing front office is up to give up what the Patriots are searching for.
