The New England Patriots have been active in free agency and have made several moves to improve their roster. So far they’ve spent their money well on both sides of the ball, adding players who’ve played for both coordinators, Terrell Williams and Josh McDaniels.
One move in particular that has stood out is the signing of quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who the Patriots signed to a two-year, $8 million deal. Dobbs played for Mike Vrabel when he coached the team in 2022, and the signing puts him behind Drake Maye in the depth chart.
This move solidified that the Patriots would be moving on from backup Joe Milton III, as it was reported that the team is interested in trading him after his performance in the last game against the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots asking price for Milton is steep, rumored to be a third-round pick.
It’s a tough price to ask a team to trade a third-round pick for a player who’s played one game, but with the quarterback class in both free agency and the draft consisting of no elite options, I project the New York Giants will swoop in and trade for Milton.
New York Giants Acquire Joe Milton in Projected Trade
In this trade projection, I have the Patriots trading away Joe Milton and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the New York Giants in exchange for their 2026 fourth-round pick. While the Patriots won’t get their wish of a third-round pick, they still receive great compensation for Milton while the Giants get a quarterback on a cheap deal.
The Patriots drafted Milton in the sixth round of last year’s draft, so receiving a third-round pick after one game is nearly impossible. Trading him and a sixth-round pick in exchange for a fourth-round pick is a great deal for the Patriots, who could either save the pick for next year or trade it for a player.
This trade would also be a great move for the Giants, who are in a pickle right now with their quarterback situation. The Giants have the third overall pick in the draft, and the consensus number one quarterback in the draft, Cam Ward, will most likely be selected first overall by the Tennessee Titans, and the quarterbacks after him aren’t worth using the third pick on.
The remaining free-agent quarterbacks aren’t any better, as Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are both at the end of their careers and don’t have much gas left in the tank. Acquiring Milton isn’t that bad of a risk considering the other options and the Giants would have the 25-year-old on a cheap contract for the next three years.
This deal could be beneficial for both teams as the Patriots need to stockpile picks and acquire young talent, while the Giants need a quarterback. Although both Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen are on the hot seats for the Giants and probably want to select a quarterback at three to save their jobs, they could see what Milton has by building a team around him and use the third pick to draft the best player available.