Patriots trade backup quarterback Joe Milton III to Cowboys; teams swap draft picks, reports say
Updated: 1:45 PM EDT Apr 3, 2025
The New England Patriots have sent quarterback Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys in a trade that also includes an exchange of late-round picks in the upcoming NFL draft, according to multiple reports.Both ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Patriots will receive a fifth-round draft pick from the Cowboys, who received a seventh-round pick in addition to Milton.Neither team has officially announced the trade as of early Thursday afternoon.Milton was selected by New England with the 193rd overall pick in the sixth round of last year’s draft. In college, he spent three seasons at the University of Michigan and another three seasons at the University of Tennessee.The 25-year-old played in one game for the Patriots as a rookie, the final game of the season against the Buffalo Bills. Milton took over at quarterback for starter Drake Maye, who was drafted No. 3 overall last year, after New England’s opening drive of the game. Milton threw for a touchdown and ran for another in the Pats’ 23-16 win over the Bills, which ultimately cost them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, which starts April 25.There was speculation the Patriots were looking to trade Milton once they signed quarterback Joshua Dobbs, an eight-year NFL veteran, as an unrestricted free agent on March 18.The Cowboys were in the market for a quarterback after their top backup, Cooper Rush, signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.Dallas’ starting quarterback, Dak Prescott, missed the final nine games of the 2024 season after suffering a hamstring injury that ultimately led to surgery.Jacoby Brissett, who started the first five games for the Patriots in 2024 before Maye took over as the starter, signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals on March 14.Related content:
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. —The New England Patriots have sent quarterback Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys in a trade that also includes an exchange of late-round picks in the upcoming NFL draft, according to multiple reports.
Both ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Patriots will receive a fifth-round draft pick from the Cowboys, who received a seventh-round pick in addition to Milton.
Neither team has officially announced the trade as of early Thursday afternoon.
Milton was selected by New England with the 193rd overall pick in the sixth round of last year’s draft. In college, he spent three seasons at the University of Michigan and another three seasons at the University of Tennessee.
The 25-year-old played in one game for the Patriots as a rookie, the final game of the season against the Buffalo Bills. Milton took over at quarterback for starter Drake Maye, who was drafted No. 3 overall last year, after New England’s opening drive of the game. Milton threw for a touchdown and ran for another in the Pats’ 23-16 win over the Bills, which ultimately cost them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, which starts April 25.
There was speculation the Patriots were looking to trade Milton once they signed quarterback Joshua Dobbs, an eight-year NFL veteran, as an unrestricted free agent on March 18.
The Cowboys were in the market for a quarterback after their top backup, Cooper Rush, signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.
Dallas’ starting quarterback, Dak Prescott, missed the final nine games of the 2024 season after suffering a hamstring injury that ultimately led to surgery.
Jacoby Brissett, who started the first five games for the Patriots in 2024 before Maye took over as the starter, signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals on March 14.
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