Joe Milton’s audition is turning into a reminder of how fragile the Cowboys’ quarterback depth really is. Dallas has survived without Dak Prescott before, and Cooper Rush was the steady hand that kept them afloat. But Rush is gone now, and on Saturday night, wearing a Ravens uniform, he looked exactly like what the Cowboys no longer have.
Meanwhile, Milton, the quarterback Dallas brought in as a developmental piece after moving on from Rush, wasn’t able to match it. The second-year passer endured a miserable first half: 2 of 8 for 14 yards, an interception, and a sack in the end zone for a safety. He rebounded slightly after halftime to finish 9 of 18 for 122 yards, but the theme remained: the Cowboys don’t have a clear answer behind Prescott.
As Todd Archer from ESPN noted, “Milton was intercepted in the second quarter forcing a deep ball into coverage. He took a sack on the first drive that led to a safety. He missed reads.” Milton’s combined Week 1 and Week 2 is just 26-of-47 for 265 yards, with one touchdown, two interceptions, and a safety taken by sack.
Schottenheimer defended Milton after the game but didn’t hide the flaws. “What we did in the first half against the Rams, I think we came out a little bit of a different mindset in terms of trying to run the ball. They got him. They fooled him a little bit on the safety on the third down there,” he said. “But it’s not all on Joe. We didn’t run it well, we didn’t help him with a couple plays that could’ve settled him down.”
Still, the struggles reinforce where Milton is in his development. He has the arm talent to fire throws into tight windows, but his timing, reads, and pocket awareness continue to lag.
The problem is obvious. In 2020, when Prescott’s ankle injury sidelined him for most of the season, Dallas cycled through Andy Dalton, Garrett Gilbert, and Ben DiNucci on the way to a 6–10 finish. The Cowboys can’t afford to repeat that. If Prescott goes down again, Milton has to grow up fast, or Dallas has to find another option.
But the Cowboys still refuse to write Joe Milton off. The last dress rehearsal against the Falcons will make the difference. But there’s more to the story of the Cowboys than just Milton.
Why is Brian Schottenheimer not naming the Cowboys’ QB?
Brian Schottenheimer’s refusal to reveal his selection between Joe Milton and Will Grier may come off as a tease, but it’s by design. Jon Machota broke the news through X, “I feel like I don’t have to decide anything today,” he explained after the Ravens game, noting that the team “has to believe” in the backup depth and that he’s “not panicked” about the process. Brian might be trying to keep the quarterbacks hungry and keep defensive coordinators from preparing a game plan for a confirmed backup.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer on QB Joe Milton: “I wouldn’t say I’m concerned. We didn’t get in a rhythm. … It wasn’t just Joe.”
On the backup QB job: “I feel like I don’t have to decide anything today.”
On having a backup QB they can trust: “I think we have to believe… pic.twitter.com/wzJR4AUAJI
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 17, 2025
Through two preseason outings, Joe Milton has looked more like a developmental project than a reliable No. 2. His physical tools and team-friendly rookie deal, three years at minimal cost, make him appealing down the line, but he doesn’t look ready to back up Prescott yet. The alternative, Grier, hasn’t convinced the Cowboys either, leaving the staff hesitant to hand him the job despite his experience as a journeyman backup.
Schottenheimer has stressed there’s no need to lock in a QB2 yet, but the distribution of reps suggests Milton has the inside track. Dallas traded for him from New England earlier this offseason, signaling the organization’s interest in his upside.
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