Strong-armed Patriots QB named surprise trade target for Seahawks

Former Tennessee star could help bring Seahawks quarterback room into the future.

FOXBOROUGH, MA - SEPTEMBER 15: New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Dee Williams (33) after a game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks on September 15, 2024, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts / (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Between now and March 16 you're likely to see a ton of scenarios for the Seattle Seahawks to ponder at the quarterback position. That date represents the start of the new league year when veteran quarterback Geno Smith is due $16 million in guarantees - thus making it the deadline for the Seahawks to decide what to do with him.

For his part head coach Mike Macdonald has said he wants Smith back, but he also admits that it's not his call to make. That task falls to general manager John Schneider, who has a difficult decision. While Smith is the team's best option to start in 2025, he's also 34 years old, entering the final year of his contract and playing for a franchise with no realistic hope of winning the Super Bowl before it runs out. That means we might see Smith get cut for cap savings and the team go in a different direction.

One interesting scenario that just popped up on our radar is a potential trade for New England Patriots rookie Joe Milton. In an appearance earlier this week on Seattle Sports radio, Michael Bumpus floated the idea of dealing for the sixth-round draft pick out of Tennessee.

Joe Milton to Seahawks?

"I’m looking at him and my one game analysis is, he has great balance and a good base in the pocket... He looks really calm. Chaos is going on around him. We know that (New England had) the worst, (according to Pro Football Focus) offensive line in the gameIf (the Seahawks) were to bring (Milton) over here as a backup, I would not be mad at all, The young man’s got some talent.”

The sample size was admittedly very small, but Milton did impress with his one start this season. Milton went 22/29 for 241 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 111.4 passer rating. Milton added another 16 yards and a score as a rusher, bringing his QBR to 72.4. It may be more instructive to watch what he did at Tennessee, though. Here are those highlights.

Joe Milton Tennessee highlights

Milton was a backup at Michigan for three seasons before transferring to Tennessee, where he finally got his chance to start for a full year as a Senior. He took advantage of the opportunity, totaling 2,813 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions to go with 299 rushing yards and seven touchowns on the ground.

For now trading for Milton seems like a remote scenario. However, if the Seahawks do decide to cut Geno Smith they'll need another quarterback who can compete with Sam Howell for the starting job. The Patriots have already found their franchise QB1 in Drake Maye, so they may be willing to part with Milton, whose arm strength, aggressiveness, mobility and ability to play behind a poor offensive line would all make him a snug fit in Seattle.

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