Cowboys, Patriots' Depth Charts, 2025 NFL Draft Picks After Reported Joe Milton Trade

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly added some youth to their quarterback room by acquiring second-year signal-caller Joe Milton III from the New England Patriots.

According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the Cowboys sent a fifth-round draft pick to the Patriots in exchange for Milton and a seventh-round pick.

Following the deal, the Cowboys still own two fifth-round compensatory picks and added a third seventh-round selection. Their quarterback depth chart now looks like this:

• QB: Dak Prescott, Joe Milton III, Will Grier

Meanwhile, the Patriots lost one of their three seventh-round picks while adding a second pick in the fifth round. Their updated depth chart is as follows:

• QB: Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs

Mark Daniels and Karen Guregian of MassLive reported on Wednesday that the Patriots had "received multiple trade inquiries" for Milton. They added that "a source close to the quarterback said Milton would prefer to be on a roster that best gives him a chance to compete for the starting job."

In the end, he landed with the Cowboys and will likely serve as the primary backup to star quarterback Dak Prescott.

After selecting quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, the Patriots decided to double up on signal-callers and added Milton in the sixth round. The Tennessee product impressed during the predraft process thanks to his rocket arm and his athleticism.

In his lone appearance during the 2024 campaign, Milton led the Patriots to a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills in the regular-season finale. He went 22-of-29 for 241 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions while also adding a rushing touchdown.

The Cowboys are coming off a disappointing 7-10 finish to the 2024 season, as they lost Prescott midway through the year due to hamstring surgery. Adding Milton gives Dallas a promising young quarterback who can learn from Prescott and fill in for him when necessary.

The Patriots signed veteran backup Joshua Dobbs to a two-year deal earlier this offseason, and it appears that they're comfortable with him serving as a mentor to Maye, who was selected to the Pro Bowl as an alternate after his solid rookie campaign. New England is expecting even bigger things from Maye in 2025, so the pressure will be on his shoulders to lead the franchise back to playoff contention.