Patriots QB Named Trade Target for Division Rival

A New England Patriots quarterback has been linked as a potential trade target for an AFC East rival.
Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) looks to pass during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium.
Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) looks to pass during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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The New England Patriots saw quarterback Joe Milton III come in and put together an impressive game in the season finale against the Buffalo Bills.

Milton was a sixth-round pick for the Patriots at No. 193 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He hadn't played all year long until the last game of the season, but he stayed ready and prepared to play.

Against the Bills, he completed 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.

Due to his strong performance, it has been reported that New England has already started trade interest in him.

With that being said, Patrick McAvoy of New York Jets on SI has suggested that the Jets could be a potential trade partner for the Patriots when it comes to Milton.

"Since then, there has been some chatter about Milton as a trade candidate this offseason. The Jets should be considering all options at this point. Milton isn't the long-term answer, but why not add him to the organization in some capacity, likely the practice squad. If he could be had for something like a late-round pick, why not?"

McAvoy could be on to something. However, there is also a strong chance that New England would prefer to keep Milton on the roster as the backup behind Drake Maye.

If the Patriots are open to moving him, New York should be one of the teams with interest.

Aaron Rodgers could very well be on his way out of town this offseason. Whether the Jets opt to part ways with him and Rodgers heads elsewhere or the future Hall of Fame quarterback decides to retire, there is a very strong chance that New York could have a new quarterback in 2025.

Bringing Milton onboard would give them a potential option for the future.

Quite a few teams around the NFL have a need at quarterback. If the Jets do have interest in Milton and he is actually made available, there will be a lot of competition to acquire him.

It will be interesting to see what ends up happening this offseason. New England will have a lot of decisions to make, with Milton's future being one of them.

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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.