It's time for NFL roster cuts, and the Dallas Cowboys on Monday made a surprising choice at the quarterback position. Per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the Cowboys are releasing Joe Milton III and instead designating Sam Howell as the QB backing up Dak Prescott. "Milton, who served as Prescott's backup in 2025, had an outstanding preseason, completing 29 of 43 passes for 378 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Cowboys praised the jump he made in understanding the offense and his improved accuracy," reports ESPN's Todd Archer. What adds to the surprise is that Milton initially made the team's 53-man roster, reports Jon Machota, Cowboys reporter for The Athletic. Even just an hour before Milton was released, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said the QB competition was still "neck-and-neck." "“The competition’s not over,” Schottenheimer said, as reported by Machota.
It's expected that Milton will remain in Dallas if he clears waivers, though he'll do so as a member of the practice squad, according to Cowboys reporter Patrik Walker. Milton, as Prescott's backup, saw very limited action in the 2025-26 season, appearing in four games. In those four games, he was 15-for-24 for 183 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
That's fewer opportunities to throw than he had in his one game for the New England Patriots. In Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills in 2024, Milton was 22-for-29 with one touchdown through the air and another one the ground. That kind of performance was much more akin to his college years, which he spent with the Michigan Wolverines and Tennessee Volunteers.
Overall, he had 37 college touchdowns against 11 interceptions for 5,353 total passing yards. He hasn't gotten that level of playing time in the pros yet, but it sounds like the Cowboys are fans of Milton and his cannon arm.
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