Most notably, New England lost control of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by beating the Buffalo Bills in Week 18. The season-ending showdown at Gillette Stadium also marked the end of the road for Jerod Mayo, who was fired almost immediately after the game clock showed all zeroes.
But one bright spot for the Patriots coming out of that early January clash was the emergence of a new asset. Joe Milton III was very impressive in his NFL debut and showed off a skill set that is hard to come by behind center. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz believes New England should now try to capitalize on the great outing by selling high on the rocked-armed quarterback.
“There could be interest around the league in Milton because of the overall weakness of this year’s quarterback draft class,” Schatz wrote in a column published Friday, which recommended a bold offseason move for all 32 teams. “The rookie showed promise in Week 18 against the Bills’ backups with a 72.4 QBR. 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. Especially when the only playing time Milton had during the regular season was a finale game against backups because the Patriots already have their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye.”
Schatz wasn’t the first NFL analyst to suggest a Milton trade for New England. Brian Baldinger went as far as to say the Tennessee product could be the “very best option” for teams looking to upgrade their QB situation this offseason.
It remains to be seen how Mike Vrabel and company handle Milton this spring. But one report claimed the Patriots “will likely consider” trading the 24-year-old in wake of his breakout last month.
