Geno Smith signing a two-year contract extension with the Las Vegas Raiders was not the only major quarterback news to come out Thursday.
Shortly before the Smith news broke, the New England Patriots confirmed they had traded Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys. In exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2025, the Cowboys ended up getting Milton and a seventh-round pick. For a quarterback who most people saw starter potential from in his only game so far, that is a reasonable price.
The question now is whether or not the Raiders will regret not making their move when they had the chance.
Milton could have easily winded up as a Raider.
According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, the Raiders were one of five teams that had interest in Milton. Along with the Cowboys, the Patriots drew interest from the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers for their young quarterback.
Unlike the late-round quarterbacks in the NFL Draft, Milton offers tangible NFL experience the Raiders could feel comfortable with in finding their long-term option under center.
Sure, Milton played a meaningless Week 18 game against a Buffalo Bills defense resting half its starters, but he showcased a rocket arm and plus athleticism during the contest. Those are elements that scouts continuously look for out of quarterbacks, and one was available for an unbelievably low price. Even though Smith is expected to remain the starter for the next two or three seasons, that is more than enough time for head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to develop Milton into a capable NFL quarterback.
The Raiders made the right move in trading for a quarterback, but making this move for a second feels like one they missed out on.
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