Grading the trade: Dallas Cowboys land former Patriots quarterback Joe Milton in move that beats Trey Lance trade for obvious reason
The Dallas Cowboys warned fans this was coming. The front office was vocal about its need for another quarterback and Stephen Jones said earlier in the week they were "not done" acquiring players. Now, they have a new quarterback in town. The Cowboys are acquiring Joe Milton from the New England Patriots along via a […]
The Dallas Cowboys warned fans this was coming. The front office was vocal about its need for another quarterback and Stephen Jones said earlier in the week they were "not done" acquiring players. Now, they have a new quarterback in town.
The Cowboys are acquiring Joe Milton from the New England Patriots along via a trade, the third of the offseason for Dallas. In return, the Patriots are getting a fifth-rounder. Dallas is also getting a seventh rounder in return. So now the question remains? Who did best?
Let's dive into the grades for each team and what Cowboys fans can expect from their new quarterback. Spoiler alert: It was what Michael Scott would call a win-win-win.
Grading the trade for the Cowboys: B
Listen, the Cowboys needed a backup quarterback quite badly. With Cooper Rush and Trey Lance gone, Will Grier is all they had behind Dak Prescott. A big part of evaluating this move is realizing the Cowboys paid very little to acquire Milton. By giving up a fifth-rounder while getting a seventh-rounder back, this move will have minimal impact on the team's Draft in April.
Earlier in the offseason I wrote that in a way, trading for Milton would resemble the Trey Lance trade. Both are superior athletes with promising arms but questionable QB play. They were both drafted in very different spots but the story of Milton will be all about whether or not he can continue his development in promising fashion. However, there's a key difference between the trades that makes this an even better deal for the Cowboys: Contract length.
When Dallas traded for Lance, they got him on a two-year deal for a fourth-rounder. As the former No. 3 overall pick, he was obviously more expensive than Milton, who was a sixth-round draft pick last year. With the former Patriots QB, the Cowboys are getting three years of control. Overall, it's a solid move for a quarterback with high-upside, though fans should temper expectations about his play for it's quite flawed as of now. – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports Dallas
What Cowboys fans can expect from Joe Milton:
As for what Cowboy fans can expect from Joe Milton, they are getting a very hard worker. Milton was always seen out at practice taking advantage of every opportunity. He got despite having to compete behind Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett last season many were concerned with his footwork and other issues coming out of the draft, but he has proved that he can develop and continue to grow as an NFL quarterback. Plus his interviews will be fun. – Sophie Weller, A to Z Sports New England
Grading the trade for the Patriots: B
Fans thought that Milton could warrant a third-round pick but that was too much. Yes, he showed a lot of promise in the Patriots season finale, but it also has to be weighed against the fact that Buffalo wasn’t playing any starters. It was reported that earlier this week that Milton wanted to be traded to a team where he had a real chance to compete for a starting role.
While it’s unlikely he will beat Dak Prescott, he has the opportunity to be the backup. In New England, he was most likely only going to be the third string behind Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs. Overall, it seems both sides got what they wanted out of the deal and that’s why I’m giving it a B. – Sophie Weller, A to Z Sports New England
