The Dallas Cowboys traded for New England Patriots reserve quarterback Joe Milton III to address one of their more under-the-radar needs.
The Cowboys are looking for a backup quarterback after losing Cooper Rush to the Baltimore Ravens, and Milton looks set to take that job. As a sixth-round rookie pick last year, he appeared in one game for the Patriots.
Dallas Cowboys, Joe Milton trade
Dallas received Milton and a seventh-round pick in the draft later this month while giving up a fifth-round pick. The Patriots selected Milton in the sixth round of last year’s draft, so they recouped more than they spent on him by quite a small margin.
What has Milton done as a pro?
He played in the final game last season and led the Patriots to a victory over a Buffalo Bills team that didn’t play its stars. Milton went 22-of-29 passing for 241 yards and a touchdown while also running for another score in his only regular-season action as a pro.
Milton was a three-year starter in Tennessee after starting his career in Michigan.
How was the Joe Milton trade graded?
ESPN says the Cowboys did well, giving the Cowboys an A- and the Patriots a C.
Seth Walder writes: “If the Patriots were going to move on from Milton, I thought they would get more than this. He was a sixth-round pick a year ago and — even with all the caveats of the circumstances of his one game — surely his stock has gone up since then, right? Instead, they only got back close to what they paid for him. Several teams will surely use a fifth or sixth-round pick on shaky QB prospects later this month.
“Milton will become the Cowboys backup (with Cooper Rush now in Baltimore) and is presumably a higher variance backup than other options. But he also has higher upside than other options.”
What else is Dallas doing at quarterback?
Will Grier is the other quarterback on the roster besides Dak Prescott and Milton. Dallas has been rumored to be interested in free agent Drew Lock, who was with the Giants last season.
The Cowboys will also reportedly interview potential draft pick Quinn Ewers, the quarterback at Texas last season.
Trey Lance, the third-team quarterback last year, is a free agent. Dallas reportedly talked with him earlier in the offseason but didn’t go far.
What does this do for Texas’ Quinn Ewers?
Dallas is reportedly set to talk with him next week. Ewers, who led Texas to the national semifinal last season, is projected as around a 5th-round pick. This makes it seem less likely Dallas will draft him there.
