Sam Howell, a former starting quarterback for an NFC East rival, has won the race to be Dak Prescott’s backup in Dallas.
The Cowboys waived veteran backup QB Joe Milton on Monday, one day after keeping three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster at the cutdown deadline. That leaves Prescott and Howell, who started all 17 games for the Washington Commanders in 2023, as the quarterbacks on the active roster.
In part, Dallas made the move to accommodate another transaction, as the club claimed running back Emari Demercado off waivers from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Cowboys also discussed trading Milton before the roster deadline, ESPN reported. Milton could be a practice squad candidate for Dallas if he clears waivers, though other teams in need of an extra quarterback could be interested.
“We’re still piecing the puzzle together and that’s where this thing is very fluid,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters Monday, hours before the release.
Milton, 26, joined the Cowboys last year in a trade from the New England Patriots. He saw action in four games and threw for 183 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. But he put together a strong 2026 preseason, completing 29 of 43 attempts for 378 yards, three TDs and no picks.
Howell, 25, signed a one-year, $2.5 million guaranteed deal with Dallas in free agency. He spent 2025 with another NFC East team, the Philadelphia Eagles, but he saw no game action.
In his 2023 campaign as Washington’s starter, the former fifth-round draft pick threw for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns and a league-high 21 interceptions. He also took the most sacks in the league that season (65).
Demercado, 27, signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the Chiefs in March after three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. The Chiefs waived him Sunday.
Signed by Arizona in 2023 as an undrafted free agent, Demercado ran for a career-high 312 yards last season on 44 attempts, and he added 13 receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown. He has averaged 6.5 yards per attempt for his career, amassing 819 yards and four total touchdowns in 40 games (two starts).