The Dallas Cowboys face critical roster decisions after their preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints.
One of the biggest decisions is what to do at quarterback. The Cowboys are weighing Joe Milton III and Sam Howell for the backup job.
So far, Milton has been outperforming Howell in preseason, but Milton is also playing at an elite level. Howell is still having a good preseason so far, but it’s clear that Milton is the better QB at the moment. That is leading the Cowboys to decide whether to keep Howell, but they might have made that decision months ago.
Sam Howell Might be Safe on 53-Man Roster Based on Dallas Cowboys Offseason Decision
The Landy Hat’s Jess Haynie listed four players that might not be cut from the team based on their contracts. Haynie thinks the Cowboys gave Howell a fully guaranteed $2.5 million contract, so he’ll stick around.
“Here’s where the contract gets involved. If Howell isn’t QB2, some would suggest that he shouldn’t make the roster at all. After all, Dallas has run with just two rostered QBs several times over the years, including last season with Milton and Dak Prescott. And if you have those same two guys, with Milton showing a lot of improvement, why not repeat?
One reason that the Cowboys could do that in 2025 was they had a third QB in Will Grier who was no threat to be poached from the practice squad. Trying to get Howell to that group, and keep him there throughout the entire season, is dicier given his superior experience and the good things he’s put on tape just this summer.
If Dallas felt confident in Howell being safe on the practice squad, then sure. The money is already spent, so whether he plays out his contract this year or it gets terminated at final cuts, it makes no difference to the team or player. But if another team did poach Howell, then the Cowboys are getting nothing for that $2.5 million.
Given that, even if they had the inclination to cut Howell this weekend, Dallas is probably going to keep him on the 53 to preserve their QB depth and make sure that money doesn’t go to waste.”
During the preseason, Howell has completed 68.2% of his passes for 159 yards and 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He’s added another 22 rushing yards on 3 carries.
Sam Howell Could Be Safe on Cowboys’ Roster in 2026
Even if the Cowboys were considering cutting Howell, they might be better off not making that kind of decision. He has been a solid quarterback throughout training camp and can only improve the team.
Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott has a history of being injured, so it’s safe to keep three quarterbacks. Letting Howell be cut could risk the team losing him on the waiver wire, which would be bad.
It’s much safer for Dallas to keep Howell and make him the third-string quarterback. There’s no point in risking the season if they only hold two quarterbacks on the roster in 2026.
Cowboys’ Free-Falling QB Might Be Saved by Team’s $2.5 Million Decision