Preseason action is for developing youngsters.
Joe Milton III might be the perfect preseason quarterback.
The New England Patriots' sixth-round pick entered Thursday night's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers deep into the third quarter and provided energy to a soggy, sleepy affair.
Milton was the fourth quarterback in the rotation. Jacoby Brissett and No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye each played a series. Bailey Zappe took the bulk of the reps in the 17-3 win. Then things got cooking when Milton appeared.
Off the bat, Milton flashed athleticism, evading rushers and scrambling for a first down, leading a field-goal drive. On his second possession, the former Michigan and Tennessee product found JaQuae Jackson on a double move for a 38-yard touchdown.
"We know he has a big arm. He has the athleticism," coach Jerod Mayo said of Milton, via the team's official transcript. "He's getting better with his reads every single day. He has natural leadership ability. But once again, it's not just about one game; it's about the full body of work. You can come out here and play well but you also have to do it on a day-to-day basis, in practice and you've got to gain the confidence of not only the coaches but also your teammates. And this was a step forward for him."
Milton's strong arm and athleticism to escape the rush make him a fun preseason player. One who can provide "wow" plays while the negative aspects -- missed throws, slow reads -- are brushed off as developmental in this sandbox setting. Milton's casual style makes for a fun watch, even if there is a lot of work before he can climb the backup QB ladder.
"I feel like, no matter if it's the first game or the last game of the season, I feel like the more you relax, just having a calm mind and not having a scrambled brain, just being you regardless." Milton said. "Like, I have a big personality, I'm going to show my personality every time I have the chance to. My thing is, I want to make sure everybody smiles. Every day. Day in and day out. Make sure everybody smiles day in and day out. Just going out there letting guys know, 'listen man, you don't have to be stuck up, have fun, talk, talk trash.' It's football. At the end of the day, it's football, so no matter what you do, you go out there and have fun and operate and do the assignment your coach told you to do throughout the week. It's going to allow you to have fun. Just having fun and showing my personality is all I like to do."
The Patriots drafted Milton in the sixth round, pairing him with Maye in a remade QB room.
Mayo singled out Milton as the player who exceeded his expectations on Thursday night.
"Honestly, I need to go back and watch the film. The easy answer would be Joe," Mayo said. "Joe went out there and I don't think we've ever seen a quarterback here run around as much as he did and was still able to get the ball down the field. He's one of those guys. It was Joe."
The rookie appreciated the praise from his coach.
"Man, hearing that from the head coach, thanks to him, but I feel like I've got a lot more work to do," he said. "There's a lot of things in the offense that I need to learn, and I need to learn fast. Just being hard on myself, that's the only way I got this far, is being myself. Thanks to Coach Mayo for saying that, but I feel like I've got a lot of work to do, got to keep studying. Can't get complacent no matter how good the game went tonight. Just being able to wipe it off and put it in the books and get ready for the next one."
No one is suggesting Maye-Milton will play out how Robert Griffin III-Kirk Cousins did in Washington. However, on this night, in a game with little meaning, Milton showed some flashes that could keep him around the roster.
Once upon a time, the Patriots drafted a raw quarterback in the third round in 2016 when they already had the GOAT under center and a capable backup. He wound up starting two games as a rookie, developed as a starter elsewhere and eventually made his way back to Foxborough, where he's in line to be under center in Week 1.
Milton has a long way to go and a lot of development ahead, but the 24-year-old has the building blocks of potential.