The real reason the Cowboys signed QB Sam Howell
Last week, the Cowboys made a perceived upgrade to their quarterback room by signing veteran Sam Howell and releasing Will Grier. Many have wondered if this is a sign of waning confidence in Joe Milton III’s development, but we’re going to look at it from a different angle. Given Dak Prescott’s injury history since 2020, is this more about Dallas preparing for another long absence from QB1?
Howell may not bring a wealth of regular-season experience to the table, but it’s still exponentially more than Dallas had in Grier and Milton. Howell started one game as a rookie in Washington in 2022, then all 17 games the following season. Comparatively, Grier started two games as a rookie in 2019 with Carolina and hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since. Milton’s no better, having never started a game and only having five partial appearances for the Patriots and Cowboys in his first two years.
Combined, Grier and Milton have 105 career passing attempts, and many of those in garbage time. Howell has 645, and the majority of them came in fully competitive moments. Now, you can argue that Howell’s 77.5 career passer rating says all of those extra throws didn’t amount to much. That would be a very fair point. But when it comes to a backup QB, sometimes it’s more about a guy who understands the feel and speed of an NFL game and who you trust to step in and perform on short notice.
The Cowboys enjoyed that for several years with Cooper Rush as Prescott’s primary backup. We know from watching him, and from his one year in Baltimore, that Rush isn’t dynamic on the field. He brought no upside to the table; nary a thought that he was a future starter in the league. But when he was needed, Rush just came in and got the job done. He went 9-5 as a starter from 2021-2024, with his 4-1 record in 2022 crucial to keeping the Cowboys alive in a playoff race.
We remember Rush fondly for an unfortunate reason: Prescott has had a tendency to get hurt for a while now. He didn’t miss a game during his first four seasons, but suffered a major leg injury in 2020. A strained calf cost him one game in 2021: the one where Rush pulled off a comeback victory over the Vikings. In 2022, a thumb injury led to Rush’s five-game run. In 2024, a major hamstring tear knocked Prescott out for the final nine games.
Looking at the timeline of Prescott’s injuries, it’s hard not to notice a pattern. In 2020, he missed 11 games. 2021: only one game. 2022: five games. 2023: played the whole year. 2024: nine games. 2025: played all 17. For the last six seasons, it’s become an every-other-year sequence where Dak misses multiple games. And if that pattern holds in 2026?
*cue ominous music*
On the plus side, none of Dak’s injuries have seemed related or part of a chronic medical issue. There’s nothing about any of those specific incidents that makes you fearful about this year. This isn’t like worrying about DaRon Bland’s foot or DeMarvion Overshown’s knee, which are other 2026 concerns.
Still, going back to Sam Howell, you have to wonder if Prescott’s pattern isn’t partly what’s brought him to Dallas. Not only has he seen way more action than Milton or Grier, but he also knows the division after spending 2025 with the Eagles and 2022-2023 with Washington. That’s not so much about providing intel on offense: he left the Commanders the same offseason that Dan Quinn showed up in D.C., and now Philly has changed coordinators from last year. But in terms of general familiarity with our NFC East rivals, Howell has a leg up on most options.
The point here is not to read too much into this Sam Howell signing as a statement against Joe Milton III. The Cowboys could easily still believe in Milton’s long-term upside and developmental value. After all, this is only his third overall season and just his second in Dallas. But Howell was signed for a reason, and it might be for more than just giving Milton someone to worry about in training camp. If Dak Prescott is truly “due” for an injury in 2026, Howell may be the better option to grab his helmet and help the team win now.
Post a Comment