On Monday, the Dallas Cowboys created a fan base uproar after they released preseason standout quarterback, Joe Milton; just a few days later, he landed quietly back on the practice squad.
Dallas traded for Milton a couple of years ago and seemingly cut him at his peak, as few would argue against the fact that this preseason was his best in the NFL.
With his elite arm strength and seemingly improving touch and quarterbacking skills, he assumed the 26-year-old would be quickly picked up, but of course, that did not happen.
It seems this could be a case where analysts, media, and fans value a player more than the NFL does. Alas, the talks around Milton have switched from “why the hell did Dallas cut him?” to “can he overtake Sam Howell for QB2?” Let’s talk about it.
What’s Next For Joe Milton in Dallas?
Preseason Stats: 29/43, 378 Passing Yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 8.8 Y/A, 118.2 Passer Rating; 12 Carries, 14 Rushing Yards, 1 TD.
I thought there was zero QB2 debate between Milton and Howell after a couple preseason games — even with the latter performing well, it seemed that Milton had really taken that needed next step, and could even be a potential heir to Dak Prescott.
Dallas saw things differently; Howell won the competition in their eyes, and while we can complain and disagree, professional football minds do tend to know better (most, not all, of the time).
So, the question now for Milton, who could sign at any time with another team’s active 53-man roster, is what does his future look like as a Cowboy? Could he still become QB2 at some point?
“I think when we looked at the whole body of work we felt like Sam had done more [in terms of executing the offense].”
Schotty said they’d love to continue developing him.
An important thing to remember now is that his contract situation has changed. Milton is no longer tied to Dallas beyond 2026; he will likely be a free agent next spring.
In my eyes, when you combine the contract with his advanced age for a third-year QB and the Cowboys lack of confidence in him as the backup, there’s virtually no path to a meaningful future for Joe Milton in Dallas.
They were, of course, happy to land him back on the practice squad, as that was their goal when they released him, but you have to imagine as well that Milton is feeling a bit sour after getting cut despite his strong preseason play.
When the Cowboys cut him, they were admitting they would be okay without him, and that’s just not something you do with somebody you think could be the quarterback of the future.
Was this helpful?
Comments