The Dallas Cowboys are dipping their toes into the developmental quarterback pool once more, and once again, it took a trade to get them there.
This time it’s the Cowboys trading a fifth-round pick (No. 171 overall), to the New England Patriots for Joe Milton and a seventh-round selection (No. 217 overall). The pick from the Patriots is the first selection of the seventh round and is 46 spots after the Cowboys’ compensatory pick they swapped. A minimal risk for an organization that had talked about wanting to draft a young QB, opting instead to trade for one with some NFL experience. In this draft, with a group of QBs lacking high-end upside, it looks like a wise move.
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Milton had been a hot trade candidate this offseason and the Cowboys reportedly had interest in the 25-year-old in recent weeks. In an odd twist, the Patriots apparently had a better offer for Milton but sent him to Dallas because it was where he preferred to play.
Other teams’ loss is the Cowboys’ gain, and beating out the rival New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles is an added bonus.
It’s a deal that comes just a few years after the team swung and missed on a trade with the San Francisco 49ers and Trey Lance. That deal was for a fourth-round pick, and Lance barely saw the field as the third-string QB with the Cowboys during his two-year tenure. Few thought it was a good trade at the time and the sentiment turned out to be accurate.
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The trade for Milton is trending in a much different direction as it’s difficult to find anyone against swapping late-round picks for a developmental QB with the tools Milton brings. Ironically, like Lance, Milton has strong athletic traits that display his potential.
Milton was a sixth-round pick in 2024, and like Lance, he got one shot at playing time last year. However, Milton showed more promise in Week 18, going 22-29, throwing for 241 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for a score.
Along with his athletic traits, scouts rave about Milton’s big arm and his ability to make all the throws. It’s the processing and learning the subtleties of the position that Milton needs to improve on.
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This is the type of trade the Cowboys should be making. Giving up a late-round pick for a player with Milton’s potential is a no-brainer. After former backup QB Cooper Rush moved on this offseason, the team needed to find someone to take his place, a young signal caller who has upside, something Rush lacked. In swapping Milton for Rush, the Cowboys get a younger, cheaper backup QB, with more years of control, and the potential to be a much better option should starting QB Dak Prescott get hurt again.
The Cowboys are routinely knocked for some of their trades, but this was a great move for an organization that needed a developmental QB. After their last trade for a signal caller, the front office could’ve opted for another route behind Prescott. Instead, the Cowboys are taking another shot at trading for a young backup QB with upside potential.
At least this time the deal makes sense.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys weren’t best offer for Milton, but still landed next big thing
