“I think we look at the full package; you’re probably not going to get all things just right or exactly what you want. But at the same time, you want to get the very best guy.” Those were Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones’ words when asked what he was looking at to fill the Cowboys’ vacant backup QB spot. After the departure of Cooper Rush to the Ravens and the release of Trey Lance. The Cowboys were desperately searching for Dak Prescott’s backup. And today, they finally landed someone who might fit all the qualities Jerry Jones’ son was looking for.
Patriots’ second-year QB Joe Milton has landed in Dallas after the Cowboys sent their 2025 5th-round pick in exchange for Milton and a 7th-round pick. This comes after a source told Mass Live, “Milton would prefer to be on a roster that best gives him a chance to compete for the starting job.” Seeing former No.3 overall, Drake Maye established himself as the undisputed starter in New England. And with the Patriots adding Josh Dobbs through free agency. Milton had no other choice but to look for greener pastures rather than fight Dobbs for the backup role.
And with the Cowboys hovering over his signature, Milton thought Dallas presented him the best opportunity to get his NFL career rolling. Actually, Milton’s choice of Cowboys isn’t limited to the gridiron. There’s a bit of an emotional sentiment surrounding his move to Dallas. “My family grew up a Cowboys fan. My mom always had a Cowboys shirt on. She always talked about them. Living in Texas has always been a longtime dream of mine. And now I’m with them,” Milton told Fox Sports Jordan Schultz. So, seeing his emotional connection to the Cowboys, the Patriots made a sacrifice.
Schultz further added, “My understanding is since Joe Milton became available at the start of the offseason, teams that showed interest included the Raiders, Eagles, Giants, Steelers and the Cowboys. The #Patriots had a better offer for Milton but chose to send him where he wanted out of respect for him.” See, Milton never complained about serving as the third-string QB for the Patriots last season behind Maye and Jacoby Brissett.
My understanding is since Joe Milton became available at the start of the offseason, teams that showed interest included the Raiders, Eagles, Giants, Steelers and the Cowboys.
The #Patriots had a better offer for Milton but chose to send him where he wanted out of respect for… https://t.co/kNDFPA4yem pic.twitter.com/iHKhmhRsCv
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 3, 2025
So, when he finally got his opportunity to shine as a starting QB in the league, Milton ensured the whole league took note. Starting against the Bills in last season’s finale, Milton led the Patriots to a shocking 23-16 victory. Well, that win came on the back of Milton showing off his cannon arm and explosive athleticism on the ground. Joe completed 22 of his 29 passes for 241 yards and a TD. Then, he also wowed us by adding 10 carries for 16 rushing yards and a rushing TD.
He might have only one game under his belt. But there’s obviously a lot of potential for Milton’s holistic development. So, it remains to be seen whether his wish to nail a starting spot in the NFL comes true as a Cowboy or not. Honestly, the chances of it happening are pretty bleak, considering the latest update on Prescott’s trade rumors.
Dak Prescott’s wild trade rumors meet a dead end
Just last Wednesday afternoon, Bruce Drennan tried to send the whole Cowboys Nation into panic mode with his amateurish reporting. Labeled as a ‘longtime Cleveland Sports broadcaster’ by SI.com, Drennan quipped, “a pretty darn good source within the Browns organization,” whispered to him, “the Browns are negotiating as we speak with the Dallas Cowboys for a trade for Dak Prescott.” At that time, the whole NFL pondered whether the Browns were really thinking about adding a $240M QB to a roster already serving a $230M QB headache in Deshaun Watson.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA 2024: Cowboys at Panthers Dec 15 December 15, 2024: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott 4 before the NFL matchup in Charlotte, NC. Scott Kinser/CSM Credit Image: Â Scott Kinser/Cal Media Charlotte Nc United States EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xx ZUMA-20241215_zma_c04_084.jpg ScottxKinserx csmphotothree333319
But it didn’t take long for NFL Network’s Jane Slater to bash those reports, calling them out as fake news. She wrote on X, “I run it all down when working this beat, and the Dallas Cowboys are not working on trading Dak to the Browns. In fact, texts with two sources tell me fake news and absolutely not before this gets any sort of wheels.” Slater even added a GIF where she looked like she was pouring cold water on those baseless reports.
You know what makes Drennan’s reports on Prescott even more ugly. Dak doesn’t even have a trade clause in his contract. And the Cowboys trading him in 2025 would mean a potential $95.3M cap hit. So, the chances of this trade happening are lesser than a remake of Game of Thrones season 8.
The post Mike Vrabel’s Patriots’ Kind Gesture for Joe Milton Revealed as Cowboys Land Backup Amid Dak Prescott Trade Rumors appeared first on EssentiallySports.