DALLAS — Dallas Cowboys beat writer Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News kept two quarterbacks on his fourth 53-man roster projection of the summer, listing Dak Prescott and Joe Milton III. He expects Dallas to cut Sam Howell.
Watkins wrote that Dallas can bring Howell back on the practice squad if it wants him there. Howell would have to clear waivers first.
Joe Milton III And Sam Howell Against Arizona
Milton started at Arizona on Saturday night and completed 9-of-13 passes for 179 yards with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions in a 34-13 win. He ran for a 1-yard score on a keeper. His passer rating was 151.4.
Howell took the second half and completed 7-of-10 passes for 65 yards. He threw an interception in the end zone.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer is not treating the job as settled, and he said the coaching staff still has confidence in Howell as the team heads back to Frisco for the rest of camp.
“This is long from over,” Schottenheimer said.
One of Milton’s touchdown passes covered 53 yards to Jonathan Mingo, the first score of Mingo’s career. Camden Brown turned a third-and-3 throw into a 70-yard gain to the Arizona 1 in the second quarter, and Milton scored on a keeper on the next snap.
How Dallas Built The Quarterback Room
Dallas traded for Milton from the New England Patriots in 2025, sending a 2025 fifth-round pick and getting back Milton and a 2025 seventh-round pick. He appeared in four games in his first season with the Cowboys and completed 15-of-24 passes for 183 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.
Howell signed with Dallas in free agency this offseason. He started all 17 games for the Washington Commanders in 2023. He spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles and did not appear in a regular-season game.
Prescott has not played in a preseason game since 2019.
Howell started the preseason opener at Seattle on Aug. 15, and Milton played the second half of a 17-7 win. Milton then took more second-team work than Howell in the joint practice against the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 18, and he got the start in Glendale four days later.
Watkins also carried two quarterbacks in his previous projection, published during the second week of training camp in Oxnard, when he wrote that a third quarterback spot could be used elsewhere on the roster.
Roster Deadline And The Preseason Finale
Dallas must cut from 91 to 53 by 5 p.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 30, and submit waiver claims by noon CT the next day.
The Cowboys play their final preseason game against the Saints at AT&T Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m. CT.
