The Dallas Cowboys spent the entire preseason watching quarterback Joe Milton look increasingly comfortable in their offense. Then, just as he appeared to be making his strongest case to stay, they let him go.
In a move that sent shockwaves through the NFL, the Cowboys waived Milton on Monday to create room for running back Emari Demercado, who was claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The decision leaves Sam Howell as the clear backup to Dak Prescott, a role Milton held throughout the 2025 season. But as many fans were wondering why Cowboys released Milton, franchise COO Stephen Jones revealed why the front office made that tough decision.
Stephen Jones explains the Joe Milton decision
Speaking to Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones revealed the reasoning behind the surprising cut. “Yeah, I think it boiled down to what, you know, Joe obviously played really good in the preseason games. We really liked his performance. Sam did as well,” Jones said.
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“But, you know, at the end of the day, when you took the full body of work in training camp, the practices against other teams, you know, the coaches, albeit really close, the coaches thought Sam was the best choice for the team,” he added.
Jones acknowledged that the decision was complicated by Dallas’ roster construction. “And to go with his two now, we’d love to have Joe back. You know, a lot of teams in this league figure out ways to carry three and four. We’ve got a lot of stress on our roster with this new defense and things that we’re doing that we can carry too.” he also left the door open for a potential reunion.
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“But we’re, you know, in talks with Joe. We’ll see if he gets claimed. If he doesn’t, we’d love to have Joe back as our three and on the practice squad,” he added.
A preseason star, then gone
The shock of the decision is rooted in Milton’s exceptional performance during the preseason. He completed 29 of 43 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns without throwing a single interception. He also added a rushing score, showcasing improved accuracy and a far better grasp of the offense than he had a year earlier.
Across the first two games alone, Milton completed 21 of 28 passes for 286 yards with three touchdowns and a rushing score, without a turnover. He led all quarterbacks in passer rating at 142.9 among those taking at least a fifth of their team’s dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
His performance in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals was particularly eye catching. He completed 9 of 13 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. Through two preseason games, he had amassed 289 passing yards and four total touchdowns.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer had suggested only recently that the competition was still unsettled. “We’re still piecing the puzzle together, and that’s where this thing is very fluid,” Schottenheimer said.
Sam Howell’s experience won out
Howell, who has 18 career NFL starts, all with Washington, offered something Milton couldn’t: proven regular season experience. He also had a productive preseason, completing 27 of 40 passes for 314 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while adding a rushing score.
For a team with playoff expectations and an established starter in Prescott, the safer floor mattered. If Dallas needs its backup for a short stretch, Howell offers a much larger sample of NFL game experience.
His contract may have also played a role. Howell signed a one year deal worth $2.5 million guaranteed, and releasing him would still have left Dallas responsible for his $2 million base salary.
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On the other hand, Milton wasn’t simply a fringe player struggling to survive roster cuts. He had shown real progress and looked increasingly capable of becoming a dependable NFL backup.
Howell may be the safer choice today. The unanswered question is whether Dallas just gave away the quarterback with more room to grow tomorrow.
For now, if Milton clears waivers, he would be eligible for Dallas’ practice squad. The Cowboys currently have spots available, leaving room for a potential reunion.
But that’s a big if. Given his preseason performance and raw physical tools, including a cannon arm that has drawn comparisons across the league, Milton is likely to draw interest from quarterback needy teams.
