Another day, another opportunity for the New York Jets.
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed on X that the Dallas Cowboys waived QB Joe Milton.
A flurry of Jets media people immediately encouraged the team to put in a waiver claim for the talented passer.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said, “Now Joe Milton is an intriguing QB worth looking at, IMO.”
Connor Rogers of NBC Sports responded, “Agree with Zack – Jets should put in a claim here. He’s more ready to be the 2026 backup than [Cade] Klubnik right now.”
“If you want a practice squad QB with upside .. Milton is likely your best bet,” NFL Insider Connor Hughes of SNY stated.
Milton, 26, originally entered the league as the No. 193 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft. The former Tennessee product isn’t a vested veteran yet, so he is subject to waivers.
The Jets hold the No. 2 overall waiver wire priority. Las Vegas is the only team ahead of the Jets in the waiver wire, and they already have three quarterbacks on the roster with Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza, and Aidan O’Connell. They are unlikely to put in a claim to add another passer. That makes the path clear for the Jets to land Milton, if they want him.
A Stunning Decision
That news seemingly caught several Cowboys people outside of the building by surprise.
“I am surprised. I don’t agree with this. No one else would have claimed Sam Howell if he were waived. Not sure that’s the case with Milton,” Marcus Mosher of Locked on Cowboys responded.
“Shocked there was no trade value there, but there are a lot of QBs in the league. Wow,” Nick Harris of the Fort-Worth Star Telegram posted.
Details on Milton
Milton spent his rookie season with the New England Patriots. During the 2025 offseason, he was traded to the Cowboys.
Across his two years in the league, Milton has completed 69.8% of his passes, has thrown for 424 passing yards, with two passing touchdowns and two interceptions. He has appeared in five games, but has never started a regular-season game.
Milton has two years remaining on his $3.22 million contract. In 2026, he is owed a base salary of $1.07 million, and in 2027 he is owed a base salary of $1.19 million, per Over The Cap.
What made Milton intriguing during the pre-draft process still makes him interesting in 2026. He is listed at 6-foot-5 and weighs 236 pounds.
“Rare physical specimen with the proverbial ‘arm talent to make all the NFL throws,’ but he’s prevented from doing so by a lack of timing, accuracy and touch. Milton is gifted with a cannon for a right arm and can throw the ball as hard or as far as you want. His fastballs are often inaccurate and difficult to catch for moving targets, and he was wildly inconsistent locating his deep throws. He can elude pressure, extend plays, and put jaw-dropping highlights on tape, but he’s never been able to mature his game from splashy to consistent. He’s primarily a single-side reader who struggles to improvise with his eyes,” NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote during the pre-draft process.
How Quickly Things Can Change
On Monday, August 31, head coach Aaron Glenn emphatically said Klubnik will be the QB2 to Geno Smith. Now, a day later, the Jets have an opportunity to change the script.
Glenn also was asked about possibly adding another quarterback to the team. He responded that if they added someone, it would most likely come on the “practice squad.” Now he said that before Milton was a possibility, so take that for what it’s worth.
If the Jets want Milton on the practice squad, he would have to clear waivers. That means Milton would have to go unclaimed, and that seems unlikely based on the palpable buzz about him on social media. Then Milton would have to choose the Jets over other opportunities.
If they claim him, Milton would immediately be added to the Jets’ 53-man roster.
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