Patriots Wrong to Consider Joe Milton Trade with Drake Maye Unproven Amid NFL Rumors

The New England Patriots were one of the most active teams in the league this week, spending over $200 million on free-agent acquisitions, including stud defensive tackle Milton Williams.

However, it's the situation at quarterback that could have the longest-reaching effect on the team.

Fox NFL Insider Jordan Schultz noted the team had discussions on trading backup quarterback Joe Milton, and after signing Josh Dobbs to a two-year, $8 million deal, it only added credibility to the report.

The Pats drafted Milton in the sixth round out of Tennessee a year ago as an insurance policy in the event Drake Maye, the third overall pick in the same draft, did not pan out.

Maye threw 15 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and for 2,276 yards in his rookie campaign and did enough to convince team officials he is the signal-caller of the future. Still, despite the flashes of brilliance from the former Tar Heel, the Patriots would be foolish to ship Milton out of town so prematurely.

Mac Jones looked like the star of the future as the heir apparent to Tom Brady when he was drafted 15th overall in 2021. In his rookie year, he threw for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, giving fans in New England reason to believe he would be able to pick up where the greatest of all time left off.

That was not the case. He peaked in year one, never returned to that level of play, and was traded to Jacksonville after three seasons.

It is too early to suggest exactly what path Maye will take. Will he be a repeat of Jones or continue his upward trend, becoming a quality NFL starter who returns the recently hapless Patriots to playoff contention?

What is certain is that making that decision now, just one year into the Maye experiment and finding a suitor for a Milton trade when the former Volunteer also showed flashes of superstardom in 2024 is a mistake.

Milton appeared in one game, the Week 18 season-ender against Buffalo, and put on a show. He threw for 241 yards, a touchdown, and a passer rating of 111.4 while defeating the Bills and simultaneously costing his squad the No. 1 overall draft pick.

He is an athletic quarterback who can move out of the pocket and keep plays alive, pick up tough yards when necessary, and showed solid command of the offense during his brief stint at the helm. The type of player a franchise holds onto.

Why run him out of town when Maye is still relatively unproven and risk a scenario similar to Jones', where the team is looking for another franchise player in three years, especially when Milton has not had the opportunity to play enough to warrant significant draft compensation?

Some will claim it is to give Maye peace of mind, to ensure he is the guy in New England when, in reality, if he is that guy, he should thrive from being pushed by a fellow young quarterback.

It is entirely too early in the process to trade Milton unless the team knows something that indicates for certain that he is not the QB of the future. Otherwise, they have nothing to lose by holding onto him, Dobbs, and Maye, and letting things play out.

It is the smart, responsible organizational move from a team that has been through this far too recently.