As the 2024 campaign proved, an injury to a starting quarterback can be devastating to a team's chances of achieving the goals set out for themselves before the start of the regular season.
With the added investments made on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, Jerry Jones is trying to give Dak Prescott and first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer every possible tool necessary for the Dallas Cowboys to make their climb back to the top of the NFC.
While Prescott is back in the saddle in Dallas and will be fully healthy entering training camp, the spot behind him on the depth chart features a new name, and it will be imperative that the former SEC standout gets up to speed as soon as possible so that he is ready to be called upon if needed.
New Cowboys QB Joe Milton Already Under Pressure Entering Camp
Being "one play away" is a phrase that resonates with the quarterback position more than any other. With the amount of money invested in quarterbacks these days, the drop-off from starters to their respective backups is clear. That makes Joe Milton's job in Dallas this offseason that much more important than just about any other player on the Cowboys roster.
There is no denying the arm talent that Milton possesses. Those who did not follow his collegiate career with the Michigan Wolverines and Tennessee Volunteers will be blown away by the velocity this guy has on his "fastball" when targeting receivers. The Cowboys knew all of that about him already, though.
What they had to find out on their own was whether the rumors concerning his attitude and desire for playing time over Drake Maye, following his exit from the New England Patriots. To this point, there has been nothing coming out of the team facility in Dallas that suggests Milton has been anything but a good teammate, and there should be no doubt about his role on the roster, given Prescott's status as the incumbent.
The entire reason why the Cowboys targeted Milton was the value he brings to the huddle if, God forbid, Prescott were to go down with another serious injury. As long as he shows up to work every morning, studies the playbook, and builds a rapport with the other players in the quarterback room as well as the receivers and offensive linemen, then all will be well for the young signal caller in Dallas.
If that isn't how things go for Milton once training camp opens and the stakes are raised, then that pressure he's feeling right now will only intensify.