With more cap space than they knew what to do with, the New England Patriots were unsurprisingly one of the busiest teams on Day 1 of free agency. Once the league's legal tampering period opened at noon on Monday, the Patriots immediately began to pull off deals to improve the roster for next season.
Initially, it was mainly the defensive side of the ball that the Patriots targeted. Linebackers Harold Landry and Robert Spillane, cornerback Carlton Davis, and defensive tackle Milton Williams all received lucrative, multi-year deals from the Patriots.
That doesn't mean, however, that GM Eliot Wolf ignored the other end of the field. On Monday afternoon, it was reported that the Patriots were signing veteran quarterback Joshua Doobs to a two-year deal. The 30-year-old's agent, Mike McCartney was the first to announce the deal on X.
Patriots News: Joshua Dobbs Signing Likely Means Joe Milton's Time in NE is Over
Dobbs is a well-traveled NFL veteran who has 15 starts under his belt, including a brief stint with the Titans when Mike Vrabel was the head coach. Barring any major surprise, Dobbs will take over as the QB2 to start the season.
This means that promising quarterback Joe Milton's time in New England may be coming to an end. The sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had impressed in the preseason and his brief opportunity in Week 18 against the Bills. Some Patriots fans were hoping that 25-year-old gunslinger would take over as Drake Maye's backup once Jacoby Brissett left in free agency.
The Patriots would presumably be interested in trading Milton since they should be able to get a positive return for the talented arm. Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that the Patriots would theoretically be open to moving Milton. The arrival of Dobbs only increases their chances.