Trades are a normal part of every NFL offseason, and it didn't take the New England Patriots long to ship a player off this spring. On Friday, the Patriots traded quarterback Joe Milton III and a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2025 fifth-rounder, a move made possible by backup QB Joshua Dobbs' recent signing.
Even though some fans are sad to see Milton go, his departure isn't exactly unexpected. The former Tennessee Volunteer had garnered plenty of attention since the start of the offseason, meaning it was only a matter of time before a team like the Cowboys presented the Patriots with an offer they couldn't refuse (even if it wasn't the best return).
With that in mind, it turns out that a certain opinion Milton had about himself may have played a key role in Friday's trade.
Joe Milton Viewed Himself as Potential QB1 Before Patriots-Cowboys Trade
On Sunday morning, MassLive's Karen Guregian shared some behind-the-scene details regarding the Patriots trading Milton away. According to Guregian, the 25-year-old "fancied himself a starter" and wanted an opportunity with a path to a legitimate starting opportunity.
"(Milton) didn’t see himself being given a legitimate chance to compete with Drake Maye," Guregian wrote. "He also believed he was good enough to give Maye a run, if not overtake him for the top job."
Attempting to make sense of a questionable Patriots trade. https://t.co/78TFH0xTiJ
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A 2024 sixth-round pick, Milton impressed Patriots fans with strong performances in training camp and when he started against the Buffalo Bills in Week 18. With that in mind, the 6-foot-5 signal-caller is delusional if he seriously thought he could steal the Patriots' QB1 job away from Maye, who was taken third overall less than a year ago.
Although New England was open to keeping Milton in town, potential locker room issues had management wanting to make head coach Mike Vrabel's first season as smooth as possible.
"(Milton) made it clear behind the scenes he no longer wanted to be sitting behind Maye, Guregian added. For Vrabel, who is trying to establish a culture, and trying to set the tone for what’s to come, that attitude didn’t fly."
As important as it is for a player to play with confidence, Milton's NFL career is still too fresh to demand a starting role. That's especially true when his only career appearance came against a Bills team resting most of their starters ahead of the postseason.
Ironically, Milton's new situation isn't exactly better than what he faced in New England. Dak Prescott is the clear-cut Cowboys No. 1 QB and is signed through the 2028 campaign, meaning the ex-Patriots gunslinger might have to wait until he's almost 30 years old to take over under center in the Lone Star State.
For now, it's too early to say who "won" the trade. Maye and Milton's NFL careers are only beginning, meaning it might be four or five years before the Patriots know if they made the right decision to send the former Day 3 pick packing less than a year after his draft selection.
It's already been confirmed that the Patriots won't be playing the Cowboys in the next two seasons, meaning it'll be 2027 at the earliest for New England fans to see Milton. In the meantime, it's up to the former sixth-round pick to prove whether his unwavering self-belief is delusional.