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Cowboys Legend Dares Jerry Jones to Let Players Vote Dak Prescott's Backup After Joe Milton Drama 1
Dak Prescott‘s backup quarterback Joe Milton faced a cruel fate this season, losing his roster spot from the Dallas Cowboys and being kept on the practice squad. Despite putting up reliable quarterback performances, the Cowboys put their faith in Sam Howell instead, a decision that cost Milton dearly as he was also not traded elsewhere, leaving him out of the roster entirely in 2026.
NFL legend Asante Samuel Sr. could not stay silent on the matter and spoke out about the loss Milton is facing as a result of the Cowboys’ decision
Asante Samuel Sr. claims Cowboys ‘dragged’ Joe Milton’s value to the ground
On Monday, the Dallas Cowboys waived backup quarterback Joe Milton III to make room on the 53-man roster for running back Emari Demercado. Milton, the young QB the Cowboys had acquired from the New England Patriots after a solid 2025 season as Dak Prescott’s occasional backup, had looked unstoppable in the 2026 preseason.
He went 29-of-43 for 378 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions, plus a couple of rushing scores. Many analysts believed he was the clear frontrunner to be the QB2 heading into the regular season.
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Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton (QB06) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Instead, the Cowboys chose Sam Howell as their backup. Milton cleared waivers and was placed on the practice squad. The controversy peaked just days later when NFL legend and former Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel Sr. went off on his Say What Needs To Be Said podcast. “He damn near played a perfect game per his quarterback rating, but didn’t make the team,” Samuel said.
“Make that make sense. And what makes it worse is there isn’t even a third-string quarterback on the depth chart for the Dallas Cowboys. And I dare Jerry Jones- anybody who has authority for the Dallas Cowboys to run it back and have the players vote on which quarterback they want to back up Dak Prescott. Because who in the hell is choosing Sam Howell over Joe Milton?” He added.
“Nobody. Nobody in their right mind. Sam Howell, he might have a couple of friends who would give him the benefit of the doubt and vote for him just based on their relationship. But man, the Dallas Cowboys dragged Joe Milton value down to the ground, knowing they would get him back to the practice squad, and no other team will use his talent to potentially beat up on the Dallas Cowboys. I think this is just sad. It’s awful,” he explained further.
The timing didn’t go in favor of Joe Milton at all. The Cowboys wanted to look for a trade but couldn’t seal one which made them waive Joe Milton lose his place as the back up at the very last second before calling the 53-men roster.
What is next for Joe Milton?
Milton remains on the practice squad for the entire 2026 regular season. Practice squad players can only be elevated to the active roster when the Cowboys are short on players due to injuries, illness, or roster expansion rules. No elevations for Milton have been announced as of September 6, 2026.
He is listed as the third quarterback on the current practice squad depth chart, behind Dak Prescott and Sam Howell. This keeps him available for any late-season call-up if Prescott or Howell is sidelined.
Milton is 26 years old and still has three years of eligibility on his rookie contract. The Cowboys have repeatedly said they intend to develop him in Dallas rather than lose him. Under head coach Brian Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Dan Campbell’s system, Milton continues to receive reps in daily practice sessions.
If we are to talk about legit future scenarios, if Prescott or Howell suffers a season-ending or multi-week injury, Milton becomes the immediate backup and could play in games. Free agency is an option too if the Cowboys can release him at any time with 24 hours’ notice. He would then become an unrestricted free agent and could sign with another team. But most possible option that seems plausible now is that Joe Mliton would stay with the practice squad for the rest of the season, using practice time and limited squad games to keep his skills sharp.
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