Former Tennessee and current Dallas Cowboys QB Joe Milton. Photo via @DallasCowboys on X.
The Dallas Cowboys made a free agency move on Monday night that has many in the industry wondering about VFL Joe Milton’s status within the organization moving forward. According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday night, the Cowboys signed former Eagles quarterback Sam Howell to a one-year deal.
The Cowboys made a trade to acquire Milton from the New England Patriots last offseason. Dallas seemed committed to making Milton the backup quarterback for starter Dak Prescott, giving him every rep during the preseason and minutes during garbage time during the regular season. Now, though, it looks like Dallas could be setting up a backup quarterback battle this offseason with the flyer on Howell.
Milton played in four games for the Cowboys last season. He played in three games that ended up being unreachable losses against Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles, and then played in the Cowboys’ regular-season finale against the New York Giants with Dallas limiting Prescott’s minutes.
In those four games, Milton threw for 183 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions on 15-of-24 passing. His lone passing touchdown game against the Broncos, while his best game was a 73-yard showing against the Giants, though he did record an interception in that one. There were some good moments throughout the four games, but there were also more head-scratching moments during the stretch.
“Hell yes,” Milton told DallasCowboys.com last month when asked if the trade was the change he needed in his career. “Because I learned a lot. I feel like I cherished every moment that I had with Dak. I feel like he actually poured into my development, poured into Joe, so it was great. I learned a lot from him, I could talk about it all day.”
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Howell’s acquisition by Dallas to compete for the backup position is just speculation in the early goings, though. Cowboys head coach Brian Shottenheimer was complimentary of Milton at times throughout the season, but the former Tennessee quarterback did have his struggles during the preseason and the season. It’s still unclear whether Dallas is bringing in Howell to compete for that backup spot or to just give Milton a bigger push as he enters his second year in Dallas and his third year in the league.
Milton was traded to Dallas along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick last April. During his rookie season with the Patriots, Milton played in just one game. He threw for 241 yards and one touchdown on 75.9% passing in a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills in the regular season finale. Milton’s showing was strong enough to have the Cowboys, a team that was interested in him before the 2024 NFL Draft, reach out about his availability.
With two seasons down, Milton has two more years remaining on his rookie contract. He’ll then become a free agent heading into the 2028 season if there is no extension or re-signing reached before that time.
“What is my end goal?” Milton said last month during an interview with DallasCowboys.com. “If I want to be a starter, then be a starter every day. So that’s the goal, be a starter every day.”
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