The reasons these 3 Cowboys players were released
The preseason and training camp are over for the Dallas Cowboys, and with that, the team had to make decisions on their roster. Today we’ll go over some of the more intriguing bubble players that were let go by the Cowboys.
QB Joe Milton
There may not be a more surprising name on this list than Joe Milton, who, by all accounts, had a great preseason. This conversation really comes down to what the Cowboys want and think of Milton. Milton finished the preseason completing 29 of 43 passes for 378 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
He showed off the cannon arm people love to bring up, which has made him an intriguing developmental quarterback since entering the NFL, including a 179-yard, two-touchdown performance against Arizona. A game in which he completed a 70-yard touchdown pass to fellow bubble player Jonathan Mingo.
So why didn’t that translate into a roster spot?
It seems the simplest answer is that the Cowboys apparently valued Sam Howell’s readiness and experience over Milton’s upside, which they still see as a project. Howell has significantly more starting experience, having started all 17 games for Washington in 2023, while Milton has only four regular-season appearances in his career.
Milton’s preseason was good enough to make the decision difficult, but the Cowboys ultimately chose the quarterback they appear to trust more if Prescott misses time. That doesn’t mean Milton’s time in Dallas is necessarily over. The Cowboys have expressed interest in bringing him back to the practice squad now that he cleared waivers, although it remains unclear whether Milton would choose to return. He is currently a free agent and can sign with any team.
RB Jaydon Blue
Blue’s release may have been the most surprising of the Cowboys’ running back decisions. The 2025 fifth-round pick entered camp with legitimate expectations of competing for the RB2 role behind Javonte Williams. His rookie season was underwhelming as he spent most of 2025 on the bench.
This preseason, Blue showed flashes of the speed and explosiveness that made him an intriguing prospect. He finished the 2026 preseason with 23 carries for 94 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, while adding two receptions for 15 yards. His best performance came against Arizona, when he ran 15 times for 75 yards.
Even if Dallas wasn’t simply looking for somebody to bring consistency and trust to the backfield, Blue did nothing to stand out and separate himself from the pack of running backs the Cowboys had in camp. No touchdowns and not even a single defining moment where Blue could have made the decision to let him go a tougher one.
Dallas ultimately chose a different direction, claiming Emari Demercado off waivers from the Chiefs to add another experienced option behind Williams and Malik Davis, who won the RB2 spot. Blue didn’t have to wait long to find his next opportunity. Blue was signed to the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad. Philadelphia now has Blue as a developmental change-of-pace and receiving option behind Saquon Barkley and their running back group.
RB Phil Mafah
The Cowboys drafted Mafah in the seventh round in 2025, and he entered the 2026 offseason as one of the candidates to take over the No. 2 running back role. His size and physical running style made him an appealing complement to Williams.
Mafah finished the preseason with 13 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. His longest run went for 15 yards and a score against the Cardinals when he stayed calm and reversed course on a run that seemed stuffed. Those numbers, and that moment, weren’t bad, but, like Blue, they weren’t enough to separate him from the competition.
Dallas ultimately kept Malik Davis and added Demercado, while Israel Abanikanda earned a spot on the practice squad. That left Mafah on the outside looking in. The biggest issue may have been that Mafah never completely forced the Cowboys to make room for him. His physical running style was intriguing, but the coaching staff ultimately decided that other backs offered more immediate value and reliability.
Mafah was waived by Dallas and, as of now, was not among the Cowboys’ practice squad additions. His next opportunity could come with another team looking for running back depth.
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