The Patriots are trading quarterback Joe Milton to the Cowboys, according to a source.

The Athletic reports the Patriots dealt Milton and one of their seventh-round picks to Dallas for a fifth-rounder. The swap allows the Patriots to move from the 217th overall pick to No. 171 overall in this month’s draft.

Milton, 25, was expected to be traded after the Patriots signed veteran journeyman Joshua Dobbs in free agency to be Drake Maye’s top backup.

The Patriots selected Milton in the sixth round of last year’s draft out of Tennessee. He started his only game appearance and finished 22-of-29 for 241 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions in a season-ending win over Buffalo last January. The 6-foot-5, 246-pounder has one of the strongest arms of the league and showed improvement with his accuracy over the course of his rookie season.

Milton will now back up Cowboys starter Dak Prescott. He wanted to play for a team where he could compete for the starting job, and new Patriots coach Mike Vrabel praised Milton at the NFL owners meetings Monday for remaining patient on the bench last year during a difficult 4-13 season.

“I think Joe’s did everything that they asked him to do last year. (It) sounds like in conversations that he worked extremely hard, and that’s tough when you’re a quarterback. Everybody wants to play,” Vrabel said. “Everybody wants to be the starter, everybody and that’s great to have that attitude. And he was ready for his opportunity there late in the season, which I commend him on, just like I would any player that sat there and went through a long season, a difficult season, and then got the opportunity, went out, won a football game, played well, helped his team win.”

The Patriots’ updated 2025 draft picks include one selection in every round, except the sixth, plus additional picks in the fifth and seventh rounds.

Originally Published: April 3, 2025 at 10:25 AM EDT