FOXBORO — Fans around New England who had become enamored with backup quarterback Joe Milton III were disappointed when the Patriots traded him along with a seventh-round pick to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick earlier this month.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about the timing of that decision Tuesday during his pre-draft press conference.

“Well, we felt like his reps were going to be decreased as we worked through the offseason,” Vrabel said. “We felt like – just like every other decision – that we’re going to try to do what’s best for the team, and that’s the decision that we ultimately made. So, we’re excited to move forward with Drake [Maye] and Josh [Dobbs].”

The Patriots signed Dobbs to back up Maye last month in free agency. Dobbs has more experience and understanding of NFL offenses and defenses, so he should be a valuable resource for Maye in the same way that Jacoby Brissett was last season.

Vrabel, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden were not on staff when Milton was drafted last season, so their assessment of the former Tennessee quarterback also could have been a factor in the Patriots’ decision to trade him.

Miton starred in the Patriots’ season finale last year with a surprise win over the Bills. The win knocked the Patriots out of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Based on his performance in that Week 18 game, it’s entirely possible that the Patriots traded Milton at his career peak. There’s no guarantee that the Patriots could have received similar draft capital after the preseason this year since Milton could have struggled. He completed just 36.7% of passes for the Patriots last preseason.