The Patriots apparently didn’t have any hesitation about saying goodbye to Joe Milton III.
New England trading Milton was not a surprise. Simply put, the 2024 sixth-rounder didn’t have a future in Foxboro, Mass., with Drake Maye firmly situated as the franchise quarterback. However, the timing of the ideal was a bit perplexing, and the Patriots might have been able to fetch more for Milton if they had hung onto him deeper into the summer, when teams often become desperate for QB help.
However, insight from Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard might have explained why New England was quick to cut bait with the rocket-armed signal-caller.
“Joe Milton — and this is a direct quote from someone in the organization — is not a good dude,” Bedard said on the “Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast.”
“Knowing your role, playing your role, being part of a harmonious quarterback room — that was going to be an issue. It wasn’t about Drake Maye. It was just about the room.”
About a week after the trade, Mike Vrabel said New England made the move because it was “best for the team.” And for what it’s worth, Maye had nothing but positive things to say about Milton on Thursday when he issued his first public comments about the trade.
We might never really know about the dynamic of the Patriots’ QB room last season. But in the wake of the Milton trade, it sure seems like New England — with the help of the media — is doing everything it can to paint Maye in the best light possible.
