There is much to be happy about if you’re a fan of the New England Patriots. Not only does the team have a well-respected head coach in Mike Vrabel, but they have also found their quarterback for the future in Drake Maye. Now, it is about building out the rest of the roster, and one analyst believes Joe Milton III could play a major role in it.
Milton was the backup QB to Maye and had a fantastic performance in his only game of the season, a Week 18 clash against the Buffalo Bills. Could he be a factor in New England’s roster-building future?
Did the New England Patriots Find Value in Joe Milton III?
Immediately after his lone game of the season, Milton may have earned genuine interest from teams. He had a phenomenal outing, with 241 yards on just 29 attempts, while adding a spectacular touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown to boot.
However, with Maye earning a Pro Bowl nod as the third overall pick, developing Milton as the 193rd overall pick might not be in the Patriots’ plan. Immediately after the game, owner Robert Kraft gave a hint that New England might trend that way. “It looks like we lucked out — we maybe have two quarterbacks.”
According to Aaron Schatz of ESPN, the Patriots should go in the exact opposite direction. “If New England can turn three more years of a sixth-round pick into four more years of a third- or fourth-round pick, that’s usually going to be a win for a roster.”
He believes that a lackluster quarterback class might draw teams to Milton, saying, “There could be interest around the league in Milton because of the overall weakness of this year’s quarterback draft class.”
He had the seventh-best performance of the week in his debut, finishing with a QB+ grade of 80.8, the second-highest for all Patriots performances last season. It reportedly led to a bevy of calls coming New England’s way about his availability, according to NFL personality Steve Palazzolo.
With multiple teams like the Tennesse Titans, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, New York Giants, and potentially even the Los Angeles Rams looking for a new QB, not everyone is going to find an answer in this year’s draft or free agency.
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As a result, there could be multiple offers for teams looking to take a flyer on the youngster. In return, the Patriots could receive additional draft capital to supercharge their rebuild around Maye, who desperately needs quality playmakers and offensive linemen.
Last year, the Patriots were among the seven worst teams in PFSN’s Offense+ metric, and Maye was left scrambling behind the worst O-line in the league, according to PFSN’s OL+ metric.
Upgrading both numbers has to be a priority, and Milton might be the way for New England to achieve it.