Dallas Cowboys Make Surprising Quarterback Decision

The Dallas Cowboys have made a surprising decision after the preseason. The team has waived quarterback Joe Milton.

The team announced the move after successfully claiming running back Emari Demercado off of waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs. Milton became a victim of the roster limits, but the Dallas Cowboys could ultimately bring him back if he clears waivers.

The move surprised many considering that Milton had seemingly outperformed Sam Howell, his competition in the battle for the backup quarterback job. The former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback had thrown for 271 yards and two touchdowns while serving as a steady presence.

Milton also served as Prescott’s backup during the 2025-26 NFL season.

Sam Howell, who will now enter the season as Dak Prescott’s backup, also delivered some big plays during the preseason while showing off an equally strong arm. He particularly threw two touchdowns during the preseason finale against the Saints.

“It’s neck and neck,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said about the backup battle. “What I love about them both is both guys want to win the spot.

“Both guys want to compete, but both guys are really happy for each other when they do well. Last week, it was Sam cheering on Joe. And Joe cheering on Sam in this game. That’s the tough part of this weekend.”

Of course, both the Dallas Cowboys and the Polymarket traders hope that the backup quarterback doesn’t see the field unless Howell is just handling cleanup duty in a blowout win.

The traders, in particular, have heavily focused on Prescott’s prospects entering the 2026-27 NFL season. They have expressed confidence in the Cowboys quarterback and his opportunity to lead a high-scoring offense.

The traders have made wagers focused on the number of touchdown passes Prescott will post during the season. For example, he has a 72% chance to throw more than 21.5 touchdown passes.

The traders list Prescott at a 57% chance to throw at least 24.5 touchdowns and at a 48% chance to throw at least 27.5 touchdowns.

Prescott’s numbers have fluctuated in recent seasons based on his health. He started all 17 games last season and threw 30 touchdown passes. He only had 11 touchdown passes in 2024-25 after missing nine games.

Prescott has at least 21 touchdown passes in eight of his 10 seasons. His career-best mark is 36, which led the NFL during the 2023-24 season.

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