The Dallas Cowboys released quarterback Joe Milton III on Monday, according to multiple reports. The move came as the team claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs, necessitating a roster cut to make room for him.

Milton, who spent last season as the backup to Dak Prescott, had been competing with Sam Howell for the No. 2 job throughout the preseason. With his release, Howell is now expected to back up Prescott. The Cowboys had kept three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster, but the waiver claim forced a reduction to two.

Preseason Performance

Milton finished the preseason completing 29 of 43 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns, according to multiple reports. His play drew positive reviews from head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Milton also had a standout half against Arizona, throwing for 179 yards and two touchdowns, as reported by Heavy.

Howell, meanwhile, threw two touchdowns in the preseason finale against New Orleans, while Milton managed 92 yards on 15 attempts, according to Heavy. Howell completed 19 of 28 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns during the preseason, as reported by theScore.

Roster and Financial Details

Milton was drafted by the Cowboys out of Tennessee with a sixth-round pick in 2024. He entered his third year with limited pro experience, having accumulated 424 yards and two passing touchdowns in his career, per theScore. Last season, Milton appeared in four games for Dallas without a start, completing 15 of 24 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown, according to Heavy.

Milton is in the final year of his four-year rookie contract, with a cap hit of $1,075,000 for 2026, according to Heavy. The Cowboys signed Howell in free agency to create competition at quarterback, a move that yielded a tightly contested battle throughout the summer.

Coach's Comments

Schottenheimer had previously acknowledged the competition was ongoing. "I think at the same time, the competition's not over," he said before the announcement, as quoted by The Dallas Morning News. "We need to just continue to assess so many positions, but those guys have made it really, really hard on us and it's been an awesome competition and we're still piecing the puzzle together and that's where this thing is very fluid."

He added: "At the end of the day, we just feel like the competition's not completely settled and we need to work through that. And we're constantly ripping through numbers and video and film and just at the time we're not ready to make the decision."

Next Steps

Milton could return to the Cowboys' practice squad if he clears waivers, according to multiple reports. NBC Sports noted that another team might claim him given his preseason production, but no such move has been reported.

Dallas enters the regular season looking to improve on back-to-back seven-win seasons, as reported by theScore.