The Dallas Cowboys have traded for a new quarterback in Joe Milton!
As of Wednesday night the Dallas Cowboys had already executed two trades this offseason, sending compensatory picks to the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans for Kaiir Elam and Kenneth Murray, respectively. Dallas also received picks in return in both trades.
On Thursday morning, the Cowboys landed a hat trick of trades of this particular variety as it was reported that Dallas traded with the New England Patriots for quarterback Joe Milton.
The Patriots are trading QB Joe Milton III and a seventh-round pick to Dallas in exchange for a fifth rounder, per source.
Milton drew interest from multiple teams but ends up with the Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/pCfDbcWsTy
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 3, 2025
Obviously Milton is the biggest piece of the trade, but the fact that Dallas is getting a pick in return is tremendous as well and speaks to the type of trades that they have been looking to execute this offseason.
Recall that the Cowboys were awarded four compensatory picks as free agency began. At the time of this post’s initial publishing, it is unknown exactly which of their fifth-rounders Dallas is sending to New England, but they have three to work with so we will update this to reflect which one it is once we know.
Credit to the Cowboys for being a bit honest here as Stephen Jones said earlier this week from the league’s owner meetings in Florida that he felt like they were still in the market to pull off a veteran trade and specifically mentioned backup quarterback as a position to watch. Look at Stephen calling his shots!
Joe Milton was a sixth-round pick of the Patriots last year in the 2024 NFL Draft. Collegiately he played at Michigan before transferring and finishing his career with Tennessee. He was regarded as being extremely athletic while in college and was thought to be one of the finer athletes in last year’s quarterback class as it was being assembled.
#Tennessee QB Joe Milton has some of the most impressive drive throws you will see at the college level.
His game lacks refinement, but there is plenty of optimism in scouting circles – some believe he will be a top-100 pick next April. https://t.co/VxVAXAlABS
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) August 16, 2023
This is a fantastic trade for the Cowboys as Milton’s athleticism is a lottery ticket of sorts. He has enough potential playmaking abilities to be intrigued by and that could (in the best case scenario) be the flash in the pan you need in a pinch if Dak Prescott has to miss time, and to be fair Prescott has missed some time in four of the last five seasons now (he did not in 2023).
This is the exact kind of trade that the Trey Lance one should have been when the Cowboys pulled it off. Unlike with Lance though, the Cowboys still maintain several years of team control over Milton what with him only being on the second year of his rookie contract. It is brilliant and addresses a position of need before the draft even arrives.
