VFL Joe Milton III. Photo via @DallasCowboys on X.
In one of the most shocking developments of the roster finalization period, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday afternoon that the Dallas Cowboys are releasing quarterback Joe Milton III. The move signifies that offseason signee Sam Howell beat Milton in a preseason quarterback battle and will serve as the Cowboys’ No. 2 behind Dak Prescott this season.
The move is incredibly surprising considering Milton’s upside, but it seems like Dallas wasn’t willing to continue waiting for development and felt like keeping Howell was a better move for the future.
Milton played well in the Cowboys’ first two preseason games, going for 286 yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-28 passing. He didn’t close the preseason on a great note, though, recording just 92 yards on 8-of-15 passing in the finale against the Saints this past Friday. It appears as though the slip in the final week of the preseason was enough for the Cowboys to drop him in favor of adding another running back to the roster.
Milton was originally drafted by the New England Patriots and spent one season in Foxborough before being traded to the Cowboys ahead of the 2025 season. He spent last year as the backup to Dak Prescott, but wasn’t called upon during the season all too much. Milton played in four games for Dallas last season and had 183 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions on 15-of-24 passing.
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It seems more of a matter of ‘when’ than ‘if’ another team will pick him up ahead of the season. While Milton does come with his risks, his upside will be too enticing for a team to leave him untouched on the waiver wire. And considering the dire quarterbacking situations that some teams around the league are facing, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get picked up pretty quickly.
Milton finished the 2026 preseason with 392 passing yards and four touchdowns on 67.4% passing.
Milton is one of multiple notable Tennessee players who have been waived over the last 48 hours, including QB Joey Aguilar (Jacksonville Jaguars), QB Hendon Hooker (Tennessee Titans), and WR Jalin Hyatt (New York Giants).
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