The Cowboys have made another roster move that turns heads, and this one lands hard: Dallas waived quarterback Joe Milton.
That decision came as the corresponding move after the team claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers, but it’s the Milton part that has everyone asking the same question - why now?
Milton still has two years left on his rookie deal, and after a summer in which he finally started to look like a real NFL quarterback, the Cowboys moved on anyway. If Dallas is done with him, it’s fair to wonder why they couldn’t find a trade partner first, especially with backup quarterback play valued across the league.
For now, the move points to one clear outcome: Sam Howell is set to be Dak Prescott’s backup for the 2026 season. If Milton clears waivers, he’ll be eligible to land on the practice squad.
That’s what makes this so surprising. Last preseason, Milton looked like a mess.
His footwork was shaky, he took too long to get through reads and he had trouble knowing when to add touch to his throws. He was lucky to even be the QB2 in 2025.
This summer was different. Very different.
Among quarterbacks who threw at least 40 passes in the preseason, Milton posted a 76.6 passing grade from Pro Football Focus, fourth-best in that group. He went 29 of 43 for 378 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, and he also logged three big-time throws with zero turnover-worthy plays.
Zero turnover-worthy plays.
He looked calmer in the pocket, handled pressure better and showed more willingness to step up instead of immediately drifting outside when things broke down. His progression work looked sharper, and his throws carried more feel. The game seemed to slow down for him.
That’s why this decision feels so hard to square.
One possibility is that Milton asked for his release once he was told Howell would be the backup. If Dallas believed Howell had the edge to step in for Prescott, it would make sense for Milton to look elsewhere for a clearer path to playing time. But there aren’t many teams out there that can offer that kind of opportunity.
There’s also the chance this ends up being a temporary scare and Milton winds up back on the practice squad after clearing waivers. Still, between him and Howell, Howell would have been the more likely one to slip through. That suggests another team may be ready to take a swing on Milton’s tools.
At 26, Milton had finally started to show he could be Prescott’s eventual successor. The Cowboys spent a year and a half developing him, finally got something back from that investment, and then cut bait right when it was getting interesting.
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