Quarterback is always an important position for the Dallas Cowboys but it had an extra importance this offseason. The Cowboys season fell into the gutter when Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury and there was nobody behind him when Cooper Rush signed with the Baltimore Ravens and Trey Lance became a free agent.
The Cowboys rectified that problem when they sent a fifth-round pick in next month’s draft to the New England Patriots in exchange for Joe Milton on Thursday morning. But while the deal solves an issue in the short-term, it was one made for all the wrong reasons as Dallas looks to rebound from a disappointing year.
The Patriots are trading QB Joe Milton III and a seventh-round pick to Dallas in exchange for a fifth rounder, per source.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 3, 2025
Milton drew interest from multiple teams but ends up with the Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/pCfDbcWsTy
Cowboys Make Major Mistake With Cooper Rush Replacement
Dallas went just 4-6 in the 10 games after Prescott went down, but Rush proved himself as a solid backup option. He completed 61.3% of his passes for 1,677 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions in eight starts down the stretch and led the Cowboys to a 4-4 record before he was benched for the season finale as he was approaching a $500,000 bonus for playing time incentives.
Jerry Jones later denied that claim but the Cowboys once again showed their frugality when they decided not to bring Rush back. With $37.6 million in cap space, Dallas could have used the 31-year-old to sit behind Prescott for another year but instead looked for a cheaper and riskier option.
That’s where Milton comes into play. The 6-foot-5 signal caller has a big arm and plenty of enticing traits but he was wildly inconsistent in college, throwing for 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions during his final year at Tennessee in 2023. Milton flashed again in the Patriots’ season finale against the Buffalo Bills, completing 22-of-29 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown and creating a market for his services.
The Cowboys can claim a minor victory as Tony Grossi of The Land On Demand and 850 ESPN Cleveland reported that the Patriots were looking for a third-round pick in exchange for Milton earlier this month. But it also adds a volatile backup option that has struggled with consistency throughout his career.
It’s eerily similar to the bet the Cowboys made on Lance back in 2023. After wearing out his welcome as the third overall pick in the 2021 draft, Dallas sent a 2024 fourth-round pick to chase upside behind Prescott. But Lance never developed and fell behind Rush before hitting free agency this spring. The decision to not bring Lance back speaks volumes about the trade, and the Cowboys are hoping for a different result with another inconsistent quarterback.
Perhaps none of this will matter if Prescott returns to the field and has no setbacks in his recovery. Maybe the Cowboys have a bigger plan in place for Milton. But as a player who has missed 14 games over the past three seasons, having an adequate backup should be a priority.