The Patriots had two rookie quarterbacks impress last season, but only one of them actually had a future to look forward to in New England.

Joe Milton III had the opportunity to see the field in Week 18 when Drake Maye effectively sat out the Patriots’ finale. Milton balled out — albeit against Buffalo Bills backups — and turned himself into a legitimate trade chip, which was utilized Thursday when New England reportedly shipped the 2024 sixth-rounder to Dallas.

Shortly after news of the trade was put out, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed shed light on why the Patriots were motivated to move Milton.

“People who worked with Milton last season didn’t believe he would be an ideal backup quarterback for Drake Maye,” Kyed posted to X. “Milton sees himself as a potential starter and doesn’t have the league experience of a Jacoby Brissett or Joshua Dobbs. I don’t think Milton would have created issues, but it’s a new regime, and the Patriots were able to flip him for a higher pick.”

New England surely knew it couldn’t hold Milton’s ambitions against him, which might have been why Mike Vrabel and company reportedly gave the Tennessee product permission to seek a trade. And by all accounts, the Cowboys were very eager to bring in the rocket-armed signal-caller.

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Of course, Milton likely will keep holding a clipboard in Dallas as long as Dak Prescott is around and healthy. But it’s still a more promising situation than the one he had in New England, where Maye could be the starter for the next decade-plus.

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Featured image via Kirby Lee/Imagn Images