The New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills had nothing to play for in their Week 18 showdown, but that didn’t stop quarterback Joe Milton from putting on a show. A sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Milton entered the league as a physically gifted but wildly unpolished product. Spending most of the season as the third-string quarterback, New England handed him the reins after one drive, and the rookie responded with a phenomenal performance.
Guiding the team to a 23-16 victory, Milton completed 22 of his 29 attempts for 241 yards and a touchdown while adding another 16 yards and a score on the ground. This performance deserves an asterisk, as he was facing off against Buffalo’s backups, but he still consistently made jaw-dropping plays. If he were in a different situation, he could parlay this performance into a battle for a starting job in 2025.
Plays like this from Joe Milton is why there should be 1 “that play rocked” rule where if a play is cool enough then the flag is picked up.
— Dylan Holt (@DylanHolt_) January 5, 2025
Unfortunately for Joe Milton, that won’t happen with the Patriots. Fellow rookie Drake Maye had a remarkable debut season, overcoming poor coaching and a disastrous offensive line to establish himself as the future of New England. While the Patriots could happily keep Milton as a cost-controlled backup, quarterback-needy teams across the league could send a mid-round pick for his services. Nobody will make him the unquestioned starter, but he could fight for a job with the following organizations.
5 Teams That Could Trade For Patriots Quarterback Joe Milton
Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson might return for the 2025 season, but he won’t be the unquestioned starter. The former first-round pick has not played well through two seasons and reportedly isn’t putting in the required effort to succeed at the NFL level. While he is a raw prospect and has time to turn it around, this team needs a Plan B in case the youngster doesn’t improve. Joe Milton looked like what Anthony Richardson was supposed to be in Week 18, so perhaps he fits the Colts vision for the future.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints should be one of the most fascinating teams of the offseason. Set to hire a new coach, General Manager Mickey Loomis will likely bring Derek Carr back for another season as the team chases their first playoff appearance since the Drew Brees Era. However, Carr is not a long-term solution, and Milton has the raw physical traits to start in this league. Seeing as it’s a poor quarterback draft class, New Orleans could trade for Milton and use their top draft picks on players who can help right away.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders hold the sixth-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which means they might miss out on a franchise quarterback. While a lot can change between now and April, most analysts agree that Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the only top talents in the class. Seeing as Tennessee and Cleveland hold the first two picks, both players could be off the board before Vegas can trade up. With those two off the table, perhaps old friend Tom Brady calls Robert Kraft to see what it would take to pry Joe Milton off the Patriots roster.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are impending free agents, and while it appears Wilson will return for another season, it’s hard to imagine Fields returning to a backup role. Wilson has put up league-average play, but he’s not a long-term solution and the playoff-bound Steelers probably won’t risk drafting another quarterback in a weak class. Joe Milton is an ideal fit as a short-term backup whose playstyle vaguely resembles a young Ben Roethlisberger.
Baltimore Ravens
Joe Milton will not beat out Lamar Jackson, but the current Patriot could be a valuable backup. Jackson is arguably the league’s best quarterback and has the talent to guide the Ravens to a championship. However, the Ravens do not have a Plan B if the quarterback goes down. Current backup Josh Johnson is one of the worst passers in the NFL and shouldn’t be back next year. Milton can’t win a championship for this team, but he could keep the ship afloat in the regular season if Jackson misses time with a minor injury.
Main Photo: Brian Fluharty – USA Today Sports
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