Joe Milton hasn’t seen much live action in a Cowboys uniform just yet, but make no mistake - he’s made his presence felt in practice. And if you needed a reminder of why Dallas brought him in, he delivered a jaw-dropping one recently.
Late in the season, during a routine practice session, Milton uncorked an 82-yard laser on a nine route - flat-footed. No rollout, no windup, just a flick of the wrist and the ball traveled nearly the length of the field. That’s not just arm strength - that’s rare, elite-level arm talent that few quarterbacks in the league can match.
This isn’t exactly breaking news for those who’ve followed Milton’s journey. The cannon attached to his right shoulder has always been his calling card - and sometimes, his Achilles’ heel.
In preseason action, we saw flashes of both. There were moments when a touch pass would’ve moved the chains, but Milton instead opted to fire a rocket that sailed high or bounced off a receiver’s chest.
The tools are there, but the finesse is still a work in progress.
Milton arrived in Dallas last spring via a low-risk trade with New England. In Foxborough, he found himself in a logjam behind fellow rookie Drake Maye, and there were rumblings that Milton felt he deserved a shot to compete.
But in Dallas, the dynamic has shifted. With Dak Prescott firmly entrenched as the starter and a respected leader in the locker room, Milton has embraced a different role - one that allows him to learn and grow without the pressure of immediate expectations.
Prescott has taken on a mentor role, and by all accounts, Milton has responded well. He’s been a good teammate, soaking up knowledge and staying ready. And while he hasn’t had much game time outside of preseason and a few mop-up duty snaps, the Cowboys seem committed to his development.
But let’s be clear: arm strength alone won’t earn Milton a starting job in this league. The 82-yard throw might turn heads, but it’s the 8-yard slant on third-and-4, the checkdown under pressure, the ability to read a disguised coverage - those are the plays that build trust with coaches and teammates.
The Cowboys want to see growth in the mental side of the game. Can Milton process a defense quickly?
Can he go through his progressions without locking onto his first read? Can he adjust protections at the line and recognize a blitz before it hits him in the chest?
Those are the questions that will define his second full offseason in Dallas.
Still, when a quarterback can casually flick the ball nearly the length of the field, it’s hard not to be intrigued. That kind of raw talent doesn’t come around often, and it’s enough to buy Milton more time and more patience than most sixth-round picks usually get.
The Cowboys aren’t rushing him. They don’t need to. But they’re watching, and they know what they’ve got: a quarterback with rare physical gifts, still learning how to harness them.
If Milton can start to pair that cannon arm with the nuance and decision-making required at the NFL level, the Cowboys might just have something special cooking. For now, they’re letting the cake bake - and keeping a close eye on the oven.