The New England Patriots found their franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting Drake Maye with the third overall pick. Maye exceeded expectations as a rookie and proved he can be the new face of the Patriots’ organization, but not everything went smoothly.

New England didn’t give Maye the starting job immediately, allowing Jacoby Brissett to open the season as the starter. Finally, Maye made his first NFL start on Oct. 13 and held down the position for good. While he had his ups and downs, the highs from the former Tar Heels’ quarterback

New England has since committed to building around Maye, planning to use the 2025 NFL Draft to improve the supporting cast around him. However, two decisions regarding fellow quarterback Joe Milton evidently caused issues twice.

According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, Maye’s family “was not thrilled” last year when the Patriots used a sixth-round pick on Milton just two days after taking Maye with the third overall pick. In addition, the first-round quarterback also wasn’t pleased when New England gave Milton significant playing time in Week 18.

While Maye started in Week 18, he was immediately pulled from the game after his first pass attempt. New England seemed to use it as a showcase game for Milton, hoping that a strong performance could improve his trade value heading into the offseason. However, Maye showed signs of frustration over the move.

Volin noted how after the Patriots’ regular-season finale, Maye left the locker room without speaking to the media and then skipping the team’s locker room cleanout day. Fortunately for New England, trading Milton would seemingly resolve the issue.

There’s also credence to the report, given New England traded Milton to the Dallas Cowboys despite receiving better offers from other teams. As for Maye, he’ll be backed up by veteran Joshua Dobbs this season who is heralded for his game preparation and film study. In terms of Maye’s development, the move from Milton to Dobbs is a significant upgrade.