In the Cowboys‘ Week 1 loss against the Giants to open the NFL season in New York, the Dallas defense had few answers for stopping the run/pass combo of New York’s second-year starter, Jaxson Dart. But what might have been Dart’s breakout season was halted on Monday night against the Rams, when a knee injury sent Dart to the locker room and what was originally thought to be a bullet dodged turned out to be a devastating possible season-ending play. Now, the Cowboys had better keep and eye out for third-string quarterback Joe Milton.
From Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Dart news, which likely takes the Giants out of NFC East contention: “Breaking: Further testing today revealed Giants QB Jaxson Dart’s knee injury is worse than initially thought, and the team and Dart now are facing the possibility of season-ending knee surgery, sources tell ESPN. Of all the QB injuries suffered in Week 2, Dart’s is turning out to easily be the most significant.”
Joe Milton an Option to Replace Jaxson Dart?
But around the NFL, the proliferation of quarterback injuries in Week 2 have many looking for potential answers on different rosters. And one guy who made a splash in the preseason was the strong-armed Joe Milton. The Cowboys surprised many by making Sam Howell the QB2 after a tight competition to back up Dak Prescott, but the team was able to bring back Milton onto the practice squad.
Can that last?
As the Vols Muse Twitter/X account wrote, “Only one man can save the Giants now… GIMMIE JOE MILTON III!”
The Sleeper Cowboys site noted that Milton is likely to be targeted, whether by the Giants, or fellow NFC East rival Washington ot perhaps by the Bears, where Caleb Williams also was injured: “With all these quarterback injuries, I wouldn’t be surprised if teams tried to sign Joe Milton off the Cowboys practice squad.
Another user pointed out that the beauty of getting Milton is that he is on the practice squad, and does not require a trade. The Giants could sign them, but would only need to put him on the 53-man roster, and the Cowboys would lose him for nothing.
The user, Justin Matteo, wrote: “@Giants JoeMilton is currently on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. A 26-year-old developmental quarterback with elite physical tools who just needs an organization willing to invest in him. You don’t have to trade for him. Just sign him to their 53-man roster.”
Cowboys Were Impressed by Progress
Milton had an excellent training camp and preseason for the Cowboys, who hope to keep him as a developmental project. Milton was 29-of-43 passing (67.4%) with 378 passing yards and three passing touchdowns with no interceptions.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer was complimentary of the development Milton showed as not just a thrower but more of a cerebral quarterback. Maybe that makes him a Jaxson Dart replacement.
Said Schotty: “I first remember hearing about Joe Milton when he was at the University of Michigan and everyone applauded him for how hard and how far he could throw the ball. Cool. That’s awesome. Go be in a carnival somewhere. That’s not what playing an NFL quarterback is. It’s not. … You’re throwing through small windows, you’re throwing over people, you’re changing arm slots. …
“So to me, arm strength is cool. Go to the fair and win a teddy bear. But you got to play quarterback. And that’s what I think you see Joe learning is he’s playing quarterback. And he’s playing quarterback at a high level. He’s checking the ball down. He’s making blitz adjustments. He’s solving problems. He’s reading from his first, second to third, and even fourth progression at times. It takes time. You don’t stop learning as a quarterback. The only way to do it is to play. I’m really, really proud of him.”
Cowboys’ Joe Milton Urged as a Target After Jaxson Dart Injury