Former Tennessee quarterback appears to have secured a spot on the New England Patriots’ 53-man roster following the team’s release of fellow quarterback Bailey Zappe. Milton was involved in a competitive four-way contest for three quarterback positions this season after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With Zappe now cut, Milton joins former North Carolina first-round pick Drake Maye and seasoned NFL veteran Jacoby Brissett as the remaining quarterbacks on the Patriots’ roster as the cut deadline approaches. While the Patriots have yet to name their starting quarterback for the 2024 season, Brissett is expected to be the preferred choice over the two rookies.
During the preseason, Milton played in all three games for New England, completing 11 of 30 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown without any interceptions. He also added 54 rushing yards on 11 carries, though he did have one fumble. His sole touchdown came in the preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers, connecting with rookie JaQuae Jackson on a 38-yard pass. Milton had most of his action in the final preseason game against the Washington Commanders, where he completed just 5 of 17 attempts for 78 yards and ran for 23 yards on three carries. Patriots’ first-year head coach Jerod Mayo indicated that Maye is currently the “second best quarterback on the roster,” suggesting that Milton will likely serve as the third-string quarterback entering the season.
Milton signed a rookie contract with the Patriots in May, reportedly worth over $4.2 million for four years. He is the second Tennessee quarterback to be drafted in consecutive years, following Detroit Lions third-round pick Hendon Hooker. This marks the first time since the mid-1990s that Tennessee has had quarterbacks selected in back-to-back drafts.
Milton spent three years at Tennessee, including the 2023 season as the starting quarterback. He ended the regular season with an 8-4 record, completing 64.5% of his passes for 2,769 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also ran for a career-high 292 yards and six touchdowns on 75 carries, averaging 3.9 yards per attempt.
Prior to Tennessee, Milton spent three seasons at Michigan, where he started five games during the 2020 season. He went 2-3 as a starter, throwing for 1,077 yards with a completion rate below 57%, four touchdowns, and four interceptions.
As a recruit out of Orlando (Fla.) Olympia in the 2018 class, Milton was rated as a three-star prospect. He chose Michigan over other offers from Florida, Georgia, Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and several others.
