A Quarterback Possibility the Dolphins Should Explore

The Miami Dolphins should get involved if the New England Patriots decide to move their quarterback project

New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) runs against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The quarterback position is a hot topic for the Miami Dolphins this offseason because of Tua Tagovailoa's recurring injury issues, the lack of a good backup solution, and an uncertain future at the position.

While the focus should be about securing a veteran backup for the 2025 season and some have suggested the team select a potential quarterback of the future in the 2025 NFL draft, there might be another avenue worth exploring this offseason.

It comes in the form of a report from longtime NFL writer Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal suggesting "there's increasing belief around the NFL" that the New England Patriots would look to trade 2024 sixth-round pick Joe Milton III this offseason.

The Patriots figure to be set at quarterback for several years with Drake Maye, the third overall pick in the 2024 draft whose flashes of big-time ability as a rookie were a bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for New England.

Milton, on the other hand, was a unique quarterback prospect last year with off-the-charts physical traits but enough warts that he wasn't drafted until the sixth round and remains far from a sure thing to become a quality NFL quarterback.

But Milton opened a lot of eyes with a brilliant performance in the Patriots' season finale, even though it did come against mostly Buffalo Bills backups after they had locked up the second seed in the AFC playoffs.

The thought, Bedard writes, is that the Patriots could land as much as a third-round pick for Milton, in large part because of what is considered a rather mediocre quarterback class in this draft.

WHY MIAMI SHOULD CONSIDER MILTON MOVE

Milton represents exactly the kind of quarterback prospect who always should stand out beyond the top tier, simply because of the really high ceiling his physical attributes offer.

There's clearly risk involved, otherwise he wouldn't have been picked in the sixth round, and it's possible his performance against Buffalo in the 2024 finale was a one-time thing and he struggles more often than not.

But, as they say, no guts no glory.

If New England is willing to trade him, it should be worth a shot for any team not completely set at quarterback for the next several years just in case he maxes out his potential.

While the Dolphins are committed to Tua Tagovailoa for the next two years, they should explore any opportunity to find a long-term answer at quarterback when it comes up because of the injury cloud that will hang over his head until his career is over.

Milton is under contract for the next three years at a very low cap number, so he could sit behind Tagovailoa to continue developing his game over the next two seasons and the Dolphins still could go find a veteran to serve as the main backup in the meantime.

If New England does decide to trade Milton and the asking price indeed is a third-round pick, we'll just remind everyone the Dolphins used a third-round pick on Channing Tindall in 2022 and all they've gotten out of him through three seasons is special teams work.

Now, would New England refrain from trading Milton within the division for fear he could come back and defeat them? Possibly, but the Patriots also are going to do what's in their best interest and it's not like trades between division rivals never happen.

In fact, one trade suggested by an NFL executive involved the Dolphins sending Tyreek Hill to the Patriots. While we don't advocate that kind of move because the Dolphins need to win now and Hill is important to that cause, if Miami decided it needed to move Hill, then it would make sense to see if the Patriots would include Milton in a package for him.

In the final analysis, it's entirely possible that the Patriots will do nothing and keep Milton as a backup. But if they do shop him, the Dolphins at the very least owe it to themselves to explore that possibility.