Waived and available: Milton cleared unclaimed
Joe Milton was waived by the Dallas Cowboys and cleared waivers unclaimed, leaving the door open for the team to re-add him to their practice squad, executive vice president Stephen Jones said Tuesday on DLLS Sports. Jones said the Cowboys were in talks with Joe Milton III about a return and that “we’d love to have Joe back,” per the broadcast.
The move followed final roster trimming that initially left Milton on the 53-man roster. The Cowboys began the week with three quarterbacks on that roster — Dak Prescott, Joe Milton and Sam Howell — before opting to carry two, with Howell named the No. 2 option behind Prescott.
Why the Cowboys made the call
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer described the decision as difficult and framed it as the product of a close competition. Schottenheimer praised Milton’s development during training camp and the preseason, saying the battle between Milton and Sam Howell was tight as coaches evaluated which player was better prepared to execute the offense.
Schottenheimer acknowledged the fine margins that decided the roster. “I think when we looked at the whole body of work, we just felt like Sam had done a little bit more in terms of executing the offense in certain areas,” he said, adding that the staff liked what Milton had shown and hoped to keep him in the building.
Coaches and front-office personnel indicated a preference for returning Milton to the organization in a practice-squad role; Jones reiterated the club’s interest in re-signing him if he remained available.
Practice-squad path and outside interest
While the Cowboys moved forward with Sam Howell as their QB2, team officials made clear they value Milton’s potential in their system and intend to pursue him for the practice squad. Schottenheimer said it would be “incredible” to have Milton back and noted the club would monitor the waiver wire and Milton’s own choices before finalizing plans.
Stephen Jones’ comments confirmed the front office was actively engaged in discussions about bringing Milton back and that the team viewed adding him to the practice squad as a preferred outcome if no other club claimed him.
There was also outside interest in Milton’s availability. The Cowboys fielded trade inquiries on the quarterback while weighing their roster options, a development reported by local coverage of the team. That outreach reflects how teams continue to shop for experienced depth at quarterback even after rosters are set.
What this means for Milton and the Cowboys
For Milton, clearing waivers without a claim gives the Cowboys a clearer path to re-sign him to their practice squad — assuming both sides agree — and preserves the organization’s ability to keep a familiar passer in its building. For Dallas, the choice to carry Sam Howell as the immediate backup reflects coaching evaluations of who was better equipped to execute the game plan in the short term.
Schottenheimer, Jones and other team decision-makers emphasized that Milton’s development remains notable and that bringing him back would be a priority if circumstances allow. As Jones put it on DLLS Sports: “If he doesn’t, we’d love to have Joe back as our three and on the practice squad.”
