After weeks of speculation on a possible trade of their athletically gifted third-string quarterback, the New England Patriots on April 3 finally bit the bullet and traded away former Tennessee Volunteer Joe Milton III, their 2024 sixth-round draft pick.
The Dallas Cowboys sent a fifth round pick in exchange for the 25-year-old Milton and his $4.2 million four-year rookie contract, as well as a seventh-rounder.
With a couple of draft-day trades, New England turned the pick they got for Milton into Miami kicker Andres Borregales, long snapper Julian Ashby out of Vanderbilt, and Memphis Tigers cornerback Kobee Minor.
Milton’s Week 18 Showcase Grabbed Attention
Milton grabbed the NFL’s attention in Week 18 of last season, when he took the majority of snaps in a largely meaningless game against the Buffalo Bills. He executed several photogenic scrambling plays, while completing 22 of 29 passes including a touchdown. Milton ran for another touchdown.
At one point, after evading several Bills pass rushers, Milton unleashed a pass into the end zone at 61.7 mph, the second-hardest-thrown pass ever recorded in the NFL.
Milton has repeatedly been seen on video casually launching 80-yard passes during training sessions, and he even claims that he could reach 95 yards in the air.
On Tuesday, the Cowboys held their first public OTA (Organized Team Activity) practice, and though starting quarterback Dak Prescott grabbed headlines for his full participation in the drills after sitting out since Week 9 of last season with a hamstring tear, the Cowboys also gave the media and public their first look at Milton.
Joe Milton ‘Experience’ Looks ‘Wild’
According to Fansided Cowboys reporter Jerry Trotta, the results were “wild,” and a “rollercoaster” for the new Cowboys backup.
“The Joe Milton Experience was on full display today,” wrote Fort Worth Star-Telegram Cowboys correspondent Nick Harris, who witnessed Milton’s outing in person. “The highs were fun and the lows were definitely notable.”
The “highs” included a 20-yard run off of a broken play, while the “lows” were two interceptions allowed by Milton. However, perhaps it should be noted that New England Patriots second-year starter Drake Maye in his own OTA debut this week threw four interceptions in a single OTA practice, including two on back-to-back plays.
According to reports out of Boston, the reason that the Patriots finally dealt Milton away was that he was vocal about his belief that he could, and should, compete with Maye for the New England starter’s job.
“Milton has tremendous upside and already boasts one of the strongest arms in the NFL. However, he has a lot of developing to do. He needs more touch on his passes and often loses timing of progressions. That can be attributed to his wonky footwork, but the talent is undeniable,” wrote Fansided‘s Trotta. “If Milton’s first OTA practice was any indication, Cowboys fans should expect a lot of ups and downs from the young QB this offseason.”
In New England, Milton was confined largely to the practice squad, with Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett dividing the snaps over the first 16 games. Not until the final game of the season when the AFC East standings were locked in place was Milton allowed to take the field in a game.
With Prescott’s lengthy injury history, however, Milton is expected to see possibly significant playing time in Dallas.
