Back in March, the Dallas Cowboys were worried enough about the state of their quarterback depth that they felt they needed to add some insurance in case the 2025 QB2–third-year man Joe Milton–did not show improvement in training camp. They brought in an experienced backup with starting experience, signing free-agent Sam Howell to a $2.5 million contract that the team’s brass openly admitted was designed to push Milton with competition.
Maybe Milton would have gotten better even without the Howell signing–he is in his third NFL season, and is operating in the same offense for back-to-back years the first time since college. But if the Howell signing did push him, it was a stroke of genius by the Cowboys, because Milton has been one of the breakout players of the preseason, not just for Dallas but across the NFL.
He was brilliant in the Cowboys’ blowout win over the Cardinals and now has a two-game stat line of: 21-for-28 passing, 286 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions, 142.9 passer rating and another touchdown rushing.
Cowboys Comfortable With Joe Milton or Sam Howell at QB2
Just like that, the Cowboys situation with Milton has gone from maybe he’s not good enough to keep around, to, maybe he is too good to keep around. Yes, as teams around the league begin their roster shuffling in the days following the upcoming final batch of preseason games, Milton is now a name to watch as a potential Cowboys trade candidate.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said that he sees either Milton or Howell as plenty capable of being the QB2, and the job has not been settled yet.
Said Schottenheimer: “If you would just take the training camp competition, it’s probably neck and neck, and Sam maybe a little bit ahead. That’s why we actually started Sam in the first game against Seattle. But Joe’s put together two really good performances, and this will be another fun week for them to keep battling.”
Cowboys Could Add a Draft Asset
But the key for the Cowboys could be that this is an opportunity to cash in on whichever player can bring a much-needed draft asset. Both QBs are young–Milton is 26 and Howell is 25–and could be of interest to teams in need of quality backups with future starting potential.
At the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Cowboys beat writer Nick Harris prodded NFL sources for a view on what the Cowboys could get in a trade for Milton or Howell, and Milton has the clear higher upside.
A 4th-Round Pick for Joe Milton?
For a Cowboys team low on draft picks in 2027, cashing in on Joe Milton makes some sense–especially if it means a fourth-rounder in return.
Harris wrote: “League sources could see Milton go for as high as a fourth-round pick if the right QB-desperate team is on the other line because of his tools and perceived high ceiling. At worst, a fifth-round pick is well within the range of possibility. If the Cowboys maybe feel that they hit lightning in a bottle this preseason and he wouldn’t warrant a compensatory pick down the line, this could be the highest that Milton’s value reaches.
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