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Patriots Sign Dual-Threat QB After Draft in Wake of Joe Milton Trade

ByIsaiah De Los Santos|
Jan 5, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) runs the ball against the Buffalo Bills in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) runs the ball against the Buffalo Bills in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots entered the 2025 NFL Draft with quarterback as a small, but legitimate need. Though Drake Maye is entrenched as the starter, he has a new veteran backup in Josh Dobbs, and there's no guarantee the "Passtronaut" works out.

Plus, no one is behind Dobbs on the current depth chart after New England traded QB3 Joe Milton to the Dallas Cowboys at the start of the month..

The Patriots opted to not use one of their eventual 11 draft picks on a signal-caller during the draft, which isn't too big of a surprise considering how unremarkable the 2025 QB class is. However, New England addressed the position soon after the event concluded in Green Bay.

The Patriots quickly signed Louisiana quarterback Ben Wooldridge on Saturday after he went undrafted. It's clear New England made him a priority considering how quickly they scooped him up, and he now joins the team as a legitimate QB3 contender since there's no other current competition.

Wooldridge played five seasons at the collegiate level, the first two of which were spent at Fresno State before transferring the Ragin' Cajuns. He went on to record 1,661 yards, 15 touchdown and 5 interceptions in 2022.

A serious foot injury cut his 2023 short, but he bounced back with 2,463/17/6 in 2024 and a conference-leading 8.4 yards per pass attempt. Wooldridge added 174 yards and five touchdowns on the ground in 2024 as well.

Those numbers don't exactly jump off the page, especially for someone the Pats seem to value highly. Wooldridge's injury history also prompts legitimate concerns; he suffered a torn ACL, plus had collarbone and foot issues, during a collegiate career that started all the way back in 2018.

However, Mike Vrabel and co. see some untapped potential in the QB. He's had to fight his way back to the field several times already, which is something Vrabel surely appreciates.

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