The New England Patriots entered a new era when Mike Vrabel took over the bench in January, starting a slew of roster changes that followed the new head coach's arrival. One of the more notable changes came at the beginning of April when the Patriots traded quarterback Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys in a deal that also involved a pair of 2025 draft picks.
The Patriots gave Milton a fresh start due to Drake Maye and Joshua Dobbs' hold on the QB1 and QB2 jobs, respectively. Interestingly enough, it didn't take the ex-2024 sixth-round selection long to win over his new coaching staff, much like what happened in New England last summer.
Former Patriots QB Joe Milton Impresses Cowboys During OTAs
Organized team activities (OTAs) began for a few teams on Monday, including the Cowboys. According to Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins, the former Patriots QB's early OTAs performance immediately caught head coach Brian Schottenheimer's eye.
"(Schottenheimer) said Milton made some strong throws in Monday's OTA practice," Watkins reported, adding that Cowboys QB1 Dak Prescott is mentoring his 25-year-old counterpart, too.
Patriots fans are all too familiar with how little time it takes to be enamored by Milton. The 6-foot-5, 246-pound QB wasted no time impressing fans and the coaching staff throughout last year's offseason workouts, reaching the point where the Boston Globe's Ben Volin even reported that "Milton outplayed Maye over the first six practices of camp."
Maye was always going to be the QB of the future after being drafted third overall last year, but the fact that Milton stole some of the spotlight couldn't be ignored. The former Day 3 pick made his NFL debut in relief during the Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills, going 22-of-29 in the pocket for 241 passing yards and a touchdown while also tallying 16 rushing yards and another score on 10 carries.
The late-season performance was enough to grab potential suitors' attention, including the Cowboys. Dallas needed some insurance behind Prescott after parting ways with long-time backup Cooper Rush, and Milton easily fits that bill as long as his debut wasn't a one-off fluke.
The Patriots and Cowboys won't square off in 2025, meaning fans will have to wait another season to be reunited with Milton. In the meantime, New England fans will continue to cheer the former sixth-rounder from afar as he continues being beloved everywhere he goes.