In the weeks leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys made a surprising move at the backup quarterback spot, trading for New England Patriots second-year signal-caller Joe Milton.
The Cowboys gave up a 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for Milton and also received a 2025 seventh-round pick. Dallas felt that the young QB was worth the risk, given that he’s still on his rookie deal and they didn’t have a better option available.
Cooper Rush signed a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Mar. 16, while Trey Lance took his talents to the West Coast, signing a one-year pact with the Los Angeles Chargers at the beginning of April.
At the same time, the Cowboys could’ve taken a QB in the 2025 NFL Draft, but why do that when you get a quarterback with Milton’s skillset, who played well in Week 18 of last season against the Buffalo Bills?
It was a no-brainer for both sides. Dallas gets a young quarterback to develop behind Prescott, and Milton reaps the benefits of getting reps. That said, the new Cowboys QB is already fitting in and standing out in his short time in Dallas, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
"He's one of the first people in the building, Schottenheimer said via the team’s website. He's one of the last to leave. The way he's attacked the playbook and how he's picking it up is incredible, and it's been fun for me to watch Dak and Will [Grier] take a mentorship role with Joe."
The Cowboys' head coach also pointed out that Milton’s work ethic has been incredible. If you are a Cowboys fan, you love hearing this about the young quarterback.
Many Dallas fans wanted Lance to take that next step and cement himself as the QB2, but it never panned out.
Lance showed flashes in the preseason and his lone start of the 2024 season in Week 18 against the Washington Commanders. However, he ultimately decided to move on in the offseason.
Milton gives the Cowboys a competent backup with a big arm and athleticism that could grow within this offense and step in if Prescott were to go down. The Cowboys’ offense didn’t look the same with Rush and Lance under center last season.
Rush was a constant in Dallas and your prototypical backup QB, but in terms of skills, he was limited. Milton could supersede what Rush and Lance brought to the table, which is scary to think about, as he’s still a raw QB prospect.
The preseason will be huge for the new Cowboy as he’ll likely get a ton of reps to show that Dallas made the right decision to trade for him.
However, Milton can’t worry about the preseason yet as he has mandatory minicamp up next on his checklist. That said, he’s already off to a good start in OTAs, which could provide Dallas with a short and long-term win.