For most of the last 25 years, the Patriots have been the main target of rumors, speculation, and, on occasion, accusations. It became synonymous with New England during the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era, almost becoming a joke for fans, as they expected some sort of controversy to arise nearly every season.
Now that both legends have moved on, there was hope that all of the nonsense would be behind the Patriots, only for Robert Kraft's hiring of Jerod Mayo to spark it back up for another season. So, it seemed that the Mike Vrabel era would be rid of that, until this past week.
Despite the source being deemed often questionable by Patriots fans, new intel from the Boston Globe's Ben Volin has painted quarterback Drake Maye in an unfavorable light in the wake of the Joe Milton III trade last week.
There were plenty of reasons for Vrabel and Co. to trade the second-year player, since they appear to have their franchise starter in Maye. But Volin suggests there might have been more to the move behind the scenes, which unfortunately includes Maye and even his family.
New Drake Maye rumor tied to Joe Milton III's trade is too unbelievable to even consider becoming a bigger story
With Maye as the starter and veteran Joshua Dobbs serving as his backup, it was clear Milton's time in Foxboro was likely coming to an end. His impressive showing in Week 18 last season sparked a lot of conversation about where he would play in 2025, with some teams viewing him as a potential starter, so it was inevitable the Patriots would move him before the new season begins.
It was even more expected that he would be traded before voluntary workouts began on Monday, which is something Vrabel reportedly wanted to ensure. It makes sense since he wasn't expected to be part of the team's long-term plans, and Milton felt he should be a starter in the league. However, now there are accusations about Maye's potential influence in the decision as well.
Maye is being accused of not being too happy with the team drafting his former teammate in the sixth round last year, and his family was also not a fan of the move either.
“Indeed, a league source said last month at the NFL Combine that Maye’s family was not thrilled when Milton was drafted. Maye also didn’t look too pleased about giving up the Week 18 game to Milton, leaving the locker room without speaking to reporters and then skipping locker room cleanout day.”
Although there is certainly a chance that this is an accurate portrayal of how Maye and his family felt when the Patriots shockingly double-dipped at the position, there was never any evidence seen to suggest its legitimacy beyond what appears to be more speculation than fact.
It didn't seem like there was any real competition between Maye and Milton, leading one to believe that Maye should have felt uneasy in his role as the starter. However, Volin believes that was exactly what was happening.
"Now imagine having to go through that with Bazooka Joe also breathing down your neck. No other young quarterback has to deal with a fellow rookie whose arm is stronger, whose legs are faster and whose highlight reel is more eye-popping. Remember how threatened Tom Brady was by the presence of Jimmy Garoppolo? That was when Brady had already won three (and four, and five) Super Bowls."
Based on what fans were able to see, it didn't appear that Maye was at all concerned about what the Patriots would do at quarterback. Perhaps this was more relevant when Mayo was still around, but Vrabel made it clear from the very beginning that Maye was the guy, and that was not changing anytime soon.
Regardless of its validity, it cannot become a distraction this offseason, especially with the draft right around the corner. The Patriots do not need to give the competition or media any more reason to create unnecessary drama, as the hope is that it is all in the past and will remain so.