The Dallas Cowboys raised some eyebrows late last month when they not only decided to make Sam Howell the backup to Dak Prescott–after a summer-long competition with incumbent Joe Milton for the role–but subsequently turned around and cut Milton altogether the following day. Milton cleared waivers, and the Cowboys were able to re-sing him to the practice squad, but for a player who had excelled in the preseason and appeared worthy of more development, it was a risk for Dallas to let put him on the free-agent market.
And the thing is, because he is a practice squad player, he is still on the market. The Cowboys have no real rights to him–he can be signed by any other NFL team, provided they bump him up to the 53-man roster. While there are other talented quarterbacks in backup roles who could be acquired via trade by another team, Milton is arguably the best practice squad QB, a guy who could be signed without coughing up draft assets.
Joe Milton a Top Practice-Squad Option
One reason why Milton has been a hot topic this past week has been the fact that the New York Giants lost Jaxson Dart to a knee injury on Monday night, meaning a promising season for Big Blue is about to melt away. The Giants could seek a trade for someone with starting experience, but again, Milton would cost them nothing.
And the Giants are ready to make their move, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.
He wrote on his Substack this week: “General manager Joe Schoen has been working the phones on all available QB options—including potential trades—since the Giants learned of the severity of Jaxson Dart’s knee injury. And league sources believe it’s a matter of when, not if, the Giants add another passer with starting experience, potentially as soon as Monday.”
Pelissero cited trade targets such as Mac Jones, JJ McCarthy and SpencMilton er Rattler as Giants targets. But he brought up two more: “Other current backups, such as the Chiefs’ Justin Fields or even Dallas’s Joe Milton (who could be signed off the practice squad), also could be options.
Cowboys Went With Sam Howell
Milton was a sixth-round draft pick by the Patriots in 2024, and was acquired by the Cowboys in a trade last year. He spent last season as Prescott’s backup.
Milton was 29-for-43 in three Cowboys preseason games, throwing for 378 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, showing vast improvement in taking his raw physical strength and turning it into better quarterback play. That led many to believe that Milton had won the QB2 job, but the team went with the more experienced Howell.
Cowboys Joe Milton Watch Is On as Giants Set to Move ‘Soon’