After trading Joe Milton to the Dallas Cowboys, the New England Patriots are left with just two quarterbacks on their roster – Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs. Odds are, that number will increase before camp.

At a bare minimum, it usually takes at least three quarterbacks to simply run an NFL practice during the spring and summer. The team needs a certain number of arms to get through all of the drills. In New England they’ve had four quarterbacks in camp every year since 2019, including the last few years of Josh McDaniels’ most recent tenure. Getting to that number has included camp arms who got limited to no team reps, such as Trace McSorley and Jake Dolegala.

Keeping more quarterbacks now extends beyond training camp though. Ever since the NFL added the emergency 3rd QB rule in 2023 many teams have kept three QBs through the season to take advantage on gamedays. In that role, teams usually look beyond just camp arm-type quarterbacks.

If the Patriots are going to get back to four quarterbacks before spring practices (the Patriots’ first OTA practice is scheduled for May 19), most likely one will be that kind of journeyman camp arm quarterback. But if the team is looking for another QB – in particular one to keep on the 53-man roster, at this point that seems more likely to be a rookie addition (draft pick or UDFA signing) rather than the veteran market.

In our full quarterback draft preview last month we went over the big picture look at the position this year. With the Milton trade though circumstances have since changed, so now it’s time to take a closer look at a few quarterbacks who project as more likely targets for the Patriots. We’ll keep it to players projected to be late Day 3 pick or undrafted, which is the most likely range of the Patriots adding a quarterback.

This will also focus on quarterbacks that make more sense for the Patriots stylistically. Generally it’s a good idea to have backup quarterbacks with the same general skillset to the starter, so that if they do have to play there isn’t as much change to the offense overall.

The question is, what kind of prospect would the Patriots want at the quarterback position? Would they take a shot on another toolsy player, trying to replicate what they did last year by ‘flipping’ Milton for a higher pick than the one they drafted him with? Or, with reported concerns about the dynamic in the quarterback room, would they target a player with a lower floor but maybe more experience, who projects as more of a true backup?

We’ll take a look at both sorts of quarterbacks, starting with the former…

Brady Cook, Missouri

No quarterback in this draft – or likely any draft for the foreseeable future – will have the kinds of physical tools Joe Milton had and be available on Day 3. While Cook isn’t close to Milton in terms of arm strength and athleticism, of the projected Day 3 quarterbacks this year he offers the most to be excited about physically.

At 6-foot-2, 214 pounds Cook is able to drive the ball to all parts of the field, and does so with a compact throwing motion. Accuracy is his biggest area needing room for improvement. While not much of an outright runner, he is good and moving in the pocket and will pick up yards scrambling when needed.

So, why is Cook projected to go this late? Consistency. After an promising 2023 season – his second as a starter- Cook’s performance nose-dived in 2024 despite having much of the same supporting cast around him. Things seemed to spiral on him, and he got worse as the season went on. Adding Cook in the draft or as a UDFA would mean betting the 2023 season is a more accurate representation of the player he really is, while being to work through the issues of 2024.

Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

Rourke (whose brother Nathan spent some time with the Patriots in 2023) is another quarterback who is more of a fit for the Patriots’ current prototype. He’s 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and throws with good velocity and can reach some of the tougher throws on the field, but again will need to improve his accuracy at the NFL level. Rourke is also experienced, with four years as a college starter under his belt.

Like with Cook though, as a prospect he’s a projection. His first three years as a starter were at Ohio, where he put up big numbers in the MAC. Last year he transferred to Indiana and held his own leading the Hoosiers to a playoff appearance despite dealing with multiple injury – he tore his ACL before the season (his second tear in his right knee), and then suffered a thumb injury on his throwing hand in October that required surgery (he only missed one game before returning).

Rourke’s age (he’ll turn 25 during his rookie year) and injury history put a cap on his upside, while the fact most of his tape against quality opponents is him playing through injury makes him tougher to project at the NFL level. All together, that suggests him being a late Day 3 pick. With his arm talent and toughness though, he’s an intriguing backup for Maye.

Donovan Smith, Houston

This is true UDFA territory. At 6-foot-4, 219 pounds Smith is a big arm, mobile quarterback but lacks in experience. He played five years of college football but made just 25 starts, with half of those coming in 2023 at Houston. There was draft hype for him going into the 2024 season, but he was limited to just five starts due to a shoulder injury and struggled in the chances he had.

Smith’s arm strength translates in how well he can zip the ball into tight windows, not just how far he can throw it. That’s true both in the pocket and on the move. However turnovers have been a problem, including his 4:0 TD:INT ratio last year.

Taylor Elgersma, Laurier

Another likely UDFA, Elgersma has a lot of intriguing traits. He’s 6-foot-5, 227 pounds, with a big arm and can move. However he’s only done that playing in U Sport – the Canadian equivalent of the NCAA. He stood out enough there to get an invitation to the Senior Bowl, becoming just the second U Sport player to do so.

There was clearly a learning curve for him in Mobile, centered around the differences between the American and Canadian rules (ex. Canada plays on a bigger field, has 12 players in the formation, and receivers can move towards the line of scrimmage at the snap). Still he had his moments, and his arm strength in particular clearly translates from the longer throws required on the bigger Canadian field.

If the Patriots don’t want to draft a quarterback but still want to invest in traits, signing Elgersma would make sense – but he may be more of that fourth camp arm/practice squad player than that emergency third QB starting out.

Max Brosmer, Minnesota

Cook, Rourke, Smith, and Elgersma represent the more ‘lottery ticket’ quarterbacks the Patriots could target. Now, we’re onto more true backups.

A prospect with local ties, Brosmer started for three years at UNH before transferring to Minnesota last year. Brosmer did what he needed to do in 2024 to prove he deserved an NFL shot, and didn’t look out of place against tougher competition.

Brosmer, 6-foot-2, 217 pounds, sees the field well, and throws with good anticipation. He does a good job when throwing underneath, but doesn’t have the same zip or accuracy when throwing deep. Another older prospect, he turned 24 last month. Between his field vision and experience working under center as opposed to shotgun though, Brosmer should get him drafted and onto an NFL roster this spring.

Seth Henigan, Memphis

Henigan is one of the more experienced quarterbacks in this draft. A three-star quarterback coming out of high school, Henigan won the starting job at Memphis as a true freshman in 2021 and has held it since. In total he started 50 games in college.

That experience shows in Henigan’s game. He’s a smart quarterback who understands defenses and can make plays beyond his first read when he has a clean pocket. Despite being 6-foot-3, 215 pounds he doesn’t throw with as much drive as expected, but can get the ball down the field. He moves well in the pocket but isn’t a threat as a runner.

Henigan’s ability to reliably take what the defense gives him should get him a chance to compete for a backup job in the NFL. He could be a Day 3 pick, but it also wouldn’t be surprising if he ends up as a UDFA.

Graham Mertz, Florida

Another older, experienced quarterback Mertz enters the NFL as a 24-year-old rookie after making 48 starts between his time at Wisconsin and Florida. He’s polished technically but never turned that into the desired production in college. His best season came in 2023 for the Gators when he threw for 2,903 yards and 20 TDs, but the team went 5-6 that year. Last season he was being pushed for the job by true freshman D.J. Lagway before tearing his ACL after just five games.

Mertz looks the part of an NFL quarterback, both in terms of his technique and build at 6-foot-3, 212 pounds. However most of his game is throwing the ball underneath, and he doesn’t offer much as a runner (with his mobility likely taking a further hit after last year’s injury). He might be maxed out at this point, but his experience has helped him improve the last few years and he should have a chance to compete for a backup quarterback job.