Cowboys roster review by position: Quarterbacks
With the NFL draft coming up in a few short weeks, it feels like a good time to review the roster. The foundation for the roster in this upcoming season is already starting to solidify. The Cowboys might not be quite done with the trade market and perhaps get involved once more in free agency after the draft concludes. But the core of the roster is here, and we start our review with the quarterbacks.
Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott is entering his eleventh season as the starting quarterback for the Cowboys. It feels like yesterday when Prescott stepped in for an injured Tony Romo and led the team to a 13-3 record as a rookie. Since then, Prescott has tallied prolific numbers under center for America’s Team.
Last season, he set the franchise records for most career completions and passing yards. When assessing Prescott against his NFL counterparts, he is easily one of the best and most cerebral quarterbacks in the game. His ability to scan the field and connect on big plays with his receivers allows the offense to rival the best in the NFL. Yet, at this stage in his career, something still evades him and the fanbase.
The numbers and individual achievements are great, but there needs to be more success in the postseason, and Prescott knows that. For Prescott to enter the next level and rise to that pantheon of legendary Cowboys quarterbacks, he needs a championship. Prescott is 2-5 in the playoffs in his career, and his last playoff win came during the 2022 season.
Prescott is more than capable of delivering, and his supporting cast, aside from needing more consistent play from the offensive tackles, has enough to compete and can score at will with Prescott at the controls. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are in the fold for another year, and the team just re-signed Javonte Williams to balance the offense. Missing the playoffs in a year where Prescott was healthy in 2025 felt like a gut punch, but in year two under Klayton Adams and Brian Schottenheimer, Prescott could be even better.
Joe Milton
Last April, Dallas traded its fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft in exchange for Joe Milton and a seventh-round pick from the New England Patriots. Adding Milton was about the Cowboys giving themselves a low-risk, high-upside option at quarterback. Milton arguably had one of the strongest arms in his draft class. In his limited action with the Patriots, he showcased good mobility outside of the pocket.
With Milton’s exceptional raw talent, arm strength, and elusiveness, the Cowboys expected to have a backup that could keep some semblance of a vertical passing attack and move the sticks with his feet. Except that’s not how things have played out so far. In the playing time Milton has seen with the Cowboys in the preseason and the regular season, he has been erratic with his accuracy. Receivers are running open, but Milton has not been able to hit them in stride consistently.
In the season finale against the New York Giants, Milton had a quarterback rating of 38.3 and threw for only 5.6 yards per attempt. The Cowboys still have him under contract for the next two seasons, but the firm grasp he had on the number two job may not be as strong if he is as inaccurate as he was last year.
Sam Howell
Recently, Dallas added Sam Howell on a one-year, $2.5M contract. Howell should compete with Milton as Prescott’s primary backup. Howell has started more games in the NFL than Milton and comes with much more experience. In his second NFL season, Howell started all 17 games for the Washington Commanders, nearly throwing for 4,000 yards. Since then, Howell has made stops with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks, not having started in any games in that span.
Much like Milton, Howell isn’t short of confidence and is willing to make risky throws. Turnovers have been his biggest drawback, throwing 21 interceptions to go along with 21 touchdown passes in 2023. Howell has the arm talent to put up good numbers, and with the supporting cast in Dallas, it shouldn’t force him to make as many mistakes should he have to play in relief of Prescott during the regular season.
With Howell’s production, even though very limited, you’d get the sense that he would be good enough to start and win start a few games if Prescott were to miss extended time with the expectation of his return down the line. This could be one of the most underrated storylines of the spring.
How do you see the competition at QB2 playing out?
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