Patriots Rumors: How Joe Milton III Viewed Situation With Drake Maye

Even though Drake Maye excelled in his rookie season with the Patriots, Joe Milton III wasn’t going to be content with sitting on the bench in New England.

Milton no longer will have to worry about that, as the Patriots last week traded the sophomore quarterback to the Cowboys. The 25-year-old obviously won’t immediately become a starter in Dallas, but the opportunity with America’s Team figures to exceed the one Milton had in Foxboro, Mass. As MassLive’s Karen Guregian outlined in a column published Sunday, the 2024 sixth-rounder felt he was behind an immovable object in New England.

Based on intel gathered from sources during the week, Milton fancied himself a starter. He 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. If that chance didn’t exist, Milton preferred being elsewhere, somewhere he had a better chance to compete for the starter’s job.”

Again, there’s probably nothing Milton could do this spring or summer to overtake Dak Prescott right away. But the Cowboys’ leash for Prescott very well might be shorter than the Patriots’ is for Maye. The 2024 No. 3 overall pick also has a whole career ahead of him, while it’s unclear how much longer Prescott will be able to play at a high level.

So, Milton will have to continue to be patient as he waits for his NFL opportunity. But he probably shortened the timeline by leaving the Patriots.