The stunning reason behind Patriots’ bizarre Joe Milton trade

The Patriots raised plenty of eyebrows earlier this year when they traded backup quarterback Joe Milton and a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick.

There was some thought it had to do with New England’s quarterback of the future, Drake Maye, being threatened by Milton.

New head coach Mike Vrabel said the move was made for “the best of the team.”

NFL insider Greg Bedard said on his “Patriots Podcast” that the trade was made not because of a potential threat to Maye, but that Milton “and this is a direct quote from someone in the organization — ‘is not a good dude.’

“Knowing your role, playing your role, being part of a harmonious quarterback room — that was going to be an issue. It wasn’t about Drake Maye. It was just about the room.”

For what it’s worth, Maye — in his first public comments since the Milton trade — said this week that he had no issues with Milton.