New England Patriots Already Feeling The Sting After Trading Away Dak Prescott’s Potential Replacement

Back in April, the New England Patriots shipped Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys for a fifth-round pick. At the time, it looked like a routine trade. Just another quarterback trying to stick in the league.

But now? It’s starting to feel like the Pats gave away something far more valuable, possibly even Dak Prescott’s eventual replacement.

Milton didn’t waste time making waves in Dallas. During the Cowboys’ first public OTA session, the 6-foot-5 quarterback is reportedly better than Prescott. Ric Butler of RockyTopInsider called it “an experience” and “a rollercoaster of highs and lows,” noting the buzz Milton created around the league.

Joe Milton Breathing Down Dak Prescott’s Neck In Dallas

With Dak coming off hamstring surgery that sidelined him for eight games last season, all eyes are on his recovery. The Cowboys are hopeful, but Milton is lurking, and vocal about wanting the job. “I just want to win,” Prescott told reporters. Milton echoed the same, adding that he’s happy to learn from a “great person” like Dak. Still, both know only one guy can take the field.

Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay sees the writing on the wall. “With Prescott heading into his age-32 season and coming off a hamstring injury that could lead to further regression, the Cowboys could be farther from a championship than ever,” he wrote. Kay also tagged Dallas as a team likely to sell aggressively at the trade deadline, a possible signal of a coming reset.

That brings us back to New England, where things are far from settled at quarterback. The Patriots are rolling with Drake Maye, but it’s not without controversy. Conor Ryan of Boston.com reported that Milton was labeled a “locker room problem” for being too competitive about the starting role. And so, he ended up on the practice squad until the Cowboys came calling.

Now, if Maye stumbles and Milton rises in Dallas, the Patriots could be facing an all-time blunder. The search for a post-Brady solution has dragged on for five years. And if Milton turns into the guy in Dallas, New England fans will remember this one. Not as just another fifth-round trade, but as the day they gave away the wrong quarterback.