FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys were in talks with Joe Milton III about a return to the practice squad, executive vice president Stephen Jones said Tuesday on DLLS Sports.
Jones spoke before claims were due at 3 p.m. CT. Milton cleared waivers that afternoon without a claim.
Dallas made its roster moves to field the best team it could this season, and Jones said the coaches settled the backup job rather than the front office.
“Joe obviously played really good in the preseason games,” Jones said. “We really liked his performance. Sam did as well. But at the end of the day, when you took the full body of work in training camp, the practices against other teams, the coaches, albeit really close, the coaches thought Sam was the best choice for the team, and to go with is two now.”
“We’d love to have Joe back,” Jones continued. “A lot of teams in this league figure out ways to carry three and four [quarterbacks]. We’ve got a lot of stress on our roster with this new defense and things that we’re doing that we can carry two, but we’re 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.”
Dallas placed Milton on waivers Monday as the corresponding move for its claim of running back Emari Demercado from the Kansas City Chiefs. Milton had made the initial 53-man roster Sunday alongside Dak Prescott and Sam Howell. Dallas initially carried three quarterbacks, while most teams around the league keep two.
Jones agreed that was a fair way to describe it: Dallas was making the move with this season in mind. He also made clear the Cowboys still like Milton’s upside.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday morning at The Star that the club wanted Milton back on the practice squad. Schottenheimer added that Dallas would bring in another quarterback for the practice squad if Milton ended up elsewhere.
Sam Howell’s Path To The Dallas Cowboys Backup Job
Dallas signed Howell on March 10, guaranteeing him $2.5 million on a one-year contract. His base salary is $2 million.
Howell made all 18 of his career starts with the Washington Commanders during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He has appeared in 20 games overall, throwing for 4,139 yards and 22 touchdowns.
In the preseason, Howell went 27 of 40 for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception, and he ran for a score. Dallas started him in the opener at Seattle. Milton started the next two games, including the finale against New Orleans on Aug. 28 at AT&T Stadium.
Joe Milton III’s Preseason And Career Numbers
Milton finished the 2026 preseason 29 of 43 for 378 yards and 3 touchdowns without an interception. On the ground, he had 12 carries for 14 yards and a touchdown.
The New England Patriots drafted Milton in the sixth round in 2024, 193rd overall. He appeared in one regular-season game as a rookie, going 22 of 29 for 241 yards and 1 touchdown with no interceptions against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 5, 2025. New England traded him and a 2025 seventh-round pick to Dallas on April 3, 2025, for a 2025 fifth-round pick.
Milton saw action in four games for Dallas last season and was on the field for 51 offensive snaps. He went 15 of 24 through the air for 183 yards, throwing 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. He also picked up 50 yards on five carries. Milton has played in five NFL games so far, totaling 424 passing yards without making a start.
Dallas starts its season Sept. 13 on the road against the New York Giants. The game kicks off at 7:20 p.m. CT from MetLife Stadium on NBC.
