Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Josh Dobbs has agreed to a free agent contract with the New England Patriots , a move that could open up a trade target for his old team.
Dobbs and the Patriots have agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract on Monday, his agent confirmed. In New England , Dobbs should be expected to back up young starter Drake Maye .
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Joshua Dobbs (5) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex preparing for a Week 1 matchup against the New York Giants, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
That means that current Patriots backup Joe Milton III could be on the move in a trade. The Patriots have been contemplating such a move after Milton's strong performance in Week 18 of the 2024 season.
Milton is a 6-foot-5, 246-pound quarterback that played collegiately at Michigan and Tennessee . Despite playing six seasons of college football, he threw for just 5,353 career yards and was still considered a raw and unproven prospect when he came out for the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Patriots drafted him in the sixth round, looking for a backup to their top draft pick, Maye. But Milton showed in one game in his rookie season that he might have more promise than that.
With Maye dealing with a hand injury and New England's season functionally over, Milton played in the Patriots' Week 18 game, and he played well. Milton completed 22 of 29 passes (75.9%) for 241 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 111.4 passer rating as the Patriots upset the Buffalo Bills , 23-16.
Milton's strong performance might have the Patriots thinking differently about their backup quarterback, and perhaps open up the idea of a trade.
"There's increasing belief around the NFL that the Patriots are at least contemplating a trade of Milton this offseason," Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal wrote in February.
Milton would be an intriguing option for the Steelers, who value quarterback mobility, something that is lacking in remaining free agent targets Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson .
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III at the 2024 Senior Bowl. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
Milton ran a 4.62-second 40-yard dash and posted a 35-inch vertical and 10-foot-1 broad jump in pre-draft testing. According to RAS , his most similar athletic comparison at the quarterback position is Cam Newton .
Milton struggled with accuracy issues in college, completing just 61.6% of his passes. But he showed the ability to improve and take coaching with the Patriots, and he has the athletic potential to be a significant weapon at the next level.
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