Around the league, teams agree this is a bad year to need to find a starting quarterback. The 2025 NFL Draft is weak at quarterback in terms of top talent and depth. The free agency and trade marketplace has aging, declining, and expensive veterans. The younger quarterbacks that are free agents all have flaws, and there are few good options for quarterback-needy teams this offseason. Some team evaluators think another option to consider would be trading for a young backup with a good skill set and starter upside. Two quarterbacks that fit that criteria are the Lions’ Hendon Hooker and the Patriots’ Joe Milton.
After reaching out to team sources at both franchises, they both felt their teams would be willing to trade their young backups for a fourth-round pick. Hooker or Milton both have good arms, some athleticism and produced some good tape from the preseason and their limited opportunities in the regular season. After getting some NFL coaching, Hooker and Milton are also further along in their development compared to drafting a rookie quarterback. They also are extremely cheap, with multiple years remaining under contract.
Some team sources feel that Hooker and Milton are better options than drafting any of the quarterbacks in this draft, aside from Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. Players drafted in the fourth round have backup grades at that point in the draft, so a team would not really be losing out if Hooker or Milton remained No. 2 quarterbacks for their new team. They also have the upside with the talent to be starters, so a fourth-round pick for one of them should be an intriguing option for quarterback-needy teams around the league.
