Might Patriots increase draft haul by buying and selling Joe Milton III this spring?

Regardless that New England ought to nonetheless be in prime place to add a blue-chip expertise at No. 4, that victory might have price them an opportunity so as to add a prospect like Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter in late April. 

But when there’s any comfort to that victory over Buffalo, Milton’s breakout efficiency might abruptly make him a scorching commodity this offseason, particularly given the lackluster crop of QBs within the 2025 NFL Draft Class.

After assessing the expertise on the Senior Bowl final week in Alabama, NFL analyst Brian Baldinger careworn that Milton could possibly be in excessive demand within the coming weeks. 

“After watching a few of these guys on the Senior Bowl, I’d take Joe Milton as my absolute best possibility if I’m in search of a quarterback proper now,” Baldinger mentioned in a video evaluating Milton’s efficiency in opposition to Buffalo. “You would possibly simply be doing a little backflips if you happen to pull the string and also you negotiate with the Patriots for his providers.”

Greg Bedard of Boston Sports activities Journal provided up the same sentiment about Milton’s potential availability. 

Whereas some would possibly assume that Milton’s restricted reps (29 complete passing makes an attempt in opposition to NFL competitors) would have some groups hesitant to focus on him, Bedard factors to the present state of his incoming wave of younger QBs as a motivating issue for groups trying to herald a expertise like Milton. 

“Once more, I’m not saying he’s on the block proper now, however the Patriots will doubtless take into account it when all the pieces settles with the entrance workplace and training workers,” Bedard wrote in his newest column.  “Why would they do it?

“Principally as a result of the timing could possibly be proper, with this QB class being weak. The Senior Bowl QBs had been very underwhelming. And the Patriots could possibly be putting whereas the iron is scorching with Milton’s good movie within the season finale.”

Whereas Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are each projected to be first-round skills on this upcoming draft, different groups in want of QB assist could possibly be taking a look at a steep drop-off after these two prospects go off the board. 

Referencing different flawed QB prospects on this ‘25 class like Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Bedard famous that Milton’s pro-ready body and spectacular efficiency final month may need him tabbed as a extra interesting different than rolling the cube on a kind of rookies.

“What might [the Patriots] fetch? Some league executives imagine the Patriots might rise up to a third-round choose this 12 months,” Bedard wrote.

Even with Milton’s evident upside, the Patriots could not have a featured position for the younger QB in 2025 and past, particularly with Drake Maye already established because the staff’s franchise fixture on the place.

Contemplating that New England chosen Milton within the sixth spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft, flipping a participant with such restricted expertise a 12 months later for a third-round choose could be sensible asset administration from New England. 

And given the variety of vacancies presently current on New England’s depth chart, the Patriots want as a lot draft capital as they’ll get so as to plug within the holes throughout this rebuilding roster.

 

Conor Ryan is a workers author overlaying the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Purple Sox for Boston.com, a task he has held since 2023.