New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton has been the subject of several rumors since last month. Mere weeks before the 2025 NFL Draft, the team traded the QB to the Dallas Cowboys.

Yet while the decision was shocking, it wasn't merely about managing the roster — it was a deliberate cultural maneuver by new head coach Mike Vrabel.

Mike Vrabel Values Team Culture in Patriots' Offseason

Patriots Trade Joe Milton to Cowboys Ahead of NFL Draft—Mike Patriots Trade Joe Milton to Cowboys Ahead of NFL Draft—Mike
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As ESPN's Mike Reiss reported, the timing of the trade was not coincidental. With New England's voluntary offseason program set to begin Monday, Vrabel saw this as a pivotal checkpoint for setting team culture and locker room dynamics. He desires each position group to be completely on the same page, and that includes the quarterback room.

Milton went to Dallas with a seventh-round draft choice in return for a fifth-round pick. The trade makes Drake Maye the obvious QB1 and Joshua Dobbs his sole backup — at least temporarily. New England should pursue drafting another QB to have depth on its roster.

Joe Milton's Exit: It's More Than Just a Trade

Karen Guregian of MassLive provided valuable context to the move. In the NFL, parting ways with a young quarterback with such promise so soon is unusual, even frowned upon. But sources indicated Milton considered himself a starter and believed he never got a fair shot to compete with Drake Maye.

Instead of remaining on the bench, Milton preferred to depart if being a starter was not possible. And lo and behold, Dallas was a dream destination. His mother's been a Cowboys fan for years, and Milton had always dreamed about suiting up for America's Team.

Now, he'll be Dak Prescott's backup, someone who has not been able to remain healthy in recent seasons.

A Glimpse of Milton's Potential

Although Milton appeared in only one game in his rookie season in 2024, it was a good one. He guided the Patriots to a 23-16 victory against division foes, the Buffalo Bills, with 22 completions on 29 attempts for 241 yards and a touchdown, plus one score on the ground.

Indeed, the Bills already qualified for their postseason spot and gave a break to several of their starters, yet Milton was performing sharply enough that he was noticed by the Dallas team, which needed an available replacement since Cooper Rush had signed on with the Ravens.

Cowboys Could Use Milton as a Safety Net

For the Cowboys, Milton is good insurance behind Prescott, who has only played a full season once in the last five years. For the Patriots, the transaction indicates an unambiguous investment in building around Maye while encouraging Vrabel's team-first philosophy.

Expect the Patriots to utilize their new fifth-round draft pick effectively and further build a roster reflective of their new coach's style: discipline, opportunity, and unity.