Patriots Warned Against Trading Rising QB

The New England Patriots are heading into what could be a very busy and entertaining offseason. Loaded with cap space and great draft picks, the Patriots have a chance to take a huge jump from 2024 to 2025.

Joe Milton III will be an intriguing name to keep an eye on. After his impressive season finale performance, a lot of trade rumors have started to swirl around his name.

However, he could also end up being a very valuable piece for New England as the backup behind Drake Maye.

One Patriots analyst cautioned the team about trading Milton. He thinks they should remain open to the idea, but he does not think that they should rush a trade.

That analyst was Brian Hines of Pats Pulpit, he made a very good point when asked about a potential Milton trade.

"Speaking of Joe Milton, I would not be rushing him out the door. There’s too much value with his upside on a rookie contract as the backup to Drake Maye next season. If someone wants to blow the team away and offer an early Day 2 pick, however, I would reconsider," Hines wrote.

Basically, if a team offers a second round pick, he would make the deal. Potentially even a third round selection could be enough for New England to part ways with Milton.

While those picks could be valuable, so is a backup quarterback. Should something happen to Maye, the Patriots will need someone to turn to.

Milton completed 22 of his 29 pass attempts for 241 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions in the final game of the regular season. He also picked up 16 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Those numbers showcased his ability to play when called upon.

His performance should also make New England think twice about moving on from him.

Looking ahead to the future, Milton is under contract and could be a quality backup moving forward. In a league where quarterbacks continue to get hurt far too often, keeping him around might very well be the best course of action for the Patriots.

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