This offseason, the Indianapolis Colts will add someone to compete with quarterback Anthony Richardson. It’s unclear who that someone will be. What about Joe Milton?
Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal reported that the New England Patriots are toying with the idea of trading Milton:
“What I reported at the Senior Bowl, and it’s not exactly like a breaking news sounder or something like that, but the chatter from the All-Star circuit, whether it’s the East-West and also the Senior Bowl, was that the Patriots are toying with the idea of making Joe Milton available.”
We’ll see if the Patriots put Joe Milton on the trade block this offseason. If they do, it wouldn’t hurt the Colts to consider acquiring him.
Should the Colts Trade for Quarterback Joe Milton?
His Career Thus Far
Joe Milton played his first three years of college football at Michigan. During his time with the Wolverines, he played 14 games, passing for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns.
Milton transferred to Tennessee in 2021. He wound up spending three years with the Volunteers. In his final season at the school, he threw for 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also rushed for 299 yards and seven touchdowns.
The New England Patriots selected Milton in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. It was an interesting pick, knowing that the team had taken Drake Maye third overall in the same draft. As a rookie, Milton served as the Patriots’ third-string quarterback behind Maye and Jacoby Brissett.
Joe Milton would only play one game, which was the season finale against the Buffalo Bills. In that contest, Milton finished 22-of-29 for 241 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions. He also rushed for 16 yards and a touchdown. New England won 23-16.
Does a Milton Trade Make Sense for the Colts?
As mentioned earlier, the Colts will bring in a quarterback to give Anthony Richardson competition. Names like Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields, and Russell Wilson have been linked to the team.
Joe Milton has only played one NFL game, which was against a Josh Allen-less Bills squad. With that said, it’s a little too early to call him the next Patrick Mahomes. However, he does have the potential to be a star down the road. The 6-foot-5, 246-pound Milton possesses a rocket for an arm and has a ton of intriguing intangibles. He could ultimately dethrone Richardson as the Colts’ starting quarterback or be a quality backup.
Chad Graff of The Athletic believes Milton is only worth giving up a fourth or fifth-round pick for:
“So I’d keep Milton through training camp and hope a strong preseason increases his value, because at this juncture, I don’t think there’s anyone who would give up more than a fourth- or fifth-round pick for him.”
If the Colts only have to send a fourth or fifth-rounder to New England, they should certainly consider such a trade. Joe Milton’s addition could push Richardson to become the superstar quarterback the Colts thought they were getting when they drafted him fourth overall in 2023.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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