Saints Named Trade Suitor for Patriots QB

The New Orleans Saints have been named a potential trade suitor for a New England Patriots quarterback.
Jan 5, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium.
Jan 5, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. / David Butler II-Imagn Images
In this story:

The New England Patriots have an interesting situation brewing heading into the NFL offseason.

Joe Milton III has become a very intriguing piece for the team. He could end up being a quality backup to have behind Drake Maye. However, there is also a chance that he could be a big trade chip for the Patriots.

After starting the final game of the season and playing a dominant game and leading a win, there are teams around the NFL who could consider pursuing him via trade.

In the final game of the year, Milton ended up completing 22 of his 29 pass attempts for 241 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions. He also picked up 16 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

At just 24 years old, Milton could be a potential option for quite a few teams.

Anthony Palacios of Last Word on Sports has suggested that the New Orleans Saints could make sense for Milton. Truthfully, they do sound like a good fit.

"Meanwhile, the New Orleans Saints will be rebuilding in the offseason but they must have a Plan B if they don’t see Derek Carr as part of their plans," Palacios wrote. "Carr already said he won’t be taking a pay cut and since he’s entering his final year in his contract, they might as well settle for the arm that Milton has. Rookie Spencer Rattler had his chance but if Carr doesn’t produce, they could run Rattler and Milton for the starting job next."

There are very few teams in a worse quarterback situation than the Saints. Derek Carr isn't horrible, but he's far from being the type of signal caller that can power a team to the playoffs.

Adding Milton could give them a potential long-term option under center.

What would New England's asking price be for Milton? They would love to get a third-round pick for him, but even a fourth-round pick would be worth pulling the trigger.

If the Patriots do trade Milton, they could easily find a quality veteran backup. Jacoby Brissett could even be an option to re-sign.

All of that being said, Milton will be an intriguing name to keep an eye on. New England could end up moving him and New Orleans would be a team that could very well have interest.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!


Published
Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers college football, the NFL and NBA. He has contributed to the On SI network since July 2021. He has also written for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.