Why the Patriots traded Joe Milton when they did

The reasons for the Patriots’ surprise trade of their backup quarterback are coming into view.New England dealt Joe Milton to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick earlier in April, and while meeting with the media on Tuesday, head coach Mike Vrabel explained why the team did what it did.

The move, according to the new Patriots bench boss, stemmed from the fact that the team believed Milton would get fewer snaps under center during the offseason.New England already has what they hope is their next franchise quarterback in Drake Maye under center and signed veteran backup Josh Dobbs at the outset on free agency.

“Well, we felt like his reps were gonna be decreased as we worked through the offseason,” Vrabel said of Milton.“And we felt like just like every other decision, we’re gonna try to do what’s best for the team, and that’s the decision that we ultimately made.

“And so, [we’re] excited to move forward with Drake and Josh.”Milton, a sixth-round pick in last year’s draft, got in one game for the Pats and completed 22-of-29 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown.Vrabel’s comments come a week after MassLive reported that Milton viewed himself as a starter or at least someone who could give Maye legitimate competition for the QB1 job.The outlet added that if he was not going to get a real chance, he preferred to be elsewhere.

That elsewhere is now in Dallas, where he’ll be behind Dak Prescott, who is entering the first season of the four-year, $240 million contract extension he signed with the Cowboys last fall.“Anybody that’s played with me or been in that quarterback room knows that all I care about is everybody pushing everybody and getting better,” Prescott told reporters on Friday, “I’ve already worked with Will [Grier] for years, know his mindset.“I’m excited to add Joe to the room and I know Will is as well.”...