Joe Milton III has gone from backup to backup after a trade following his rookie season, but he's nonetheless ecstatic to be with the Cowboys as he continues to forge his NFL career.
A sixth-round pick of the Patriots in the 2024 draft, Milton was set to sit behind Drake Maye, selected at No. 3 overall during the same draft, for potentially the duration of his rookie contract. He instead made the most of his shot during a start in New England's regular-season finale, flashing enough talent for Dallas to trade for the QB.
"Was I surprised? Yes," Milton said of being moved, via the team website. "I kind of woke up around, like, 7 o'clock, to a call and I knew I was getting traded."
Surprise, notably, does not equal discontent. Milton's feelings are quite the opposite in Big D, where he will be locked in competition with Will Grier for the backup quarterback job behind Dak Prescott.
"The only thing I could have done, well, the only thing I did at that moment was to thank God," Milton said. "Coming here was a blessing. I didn't know it was going to be here. ... I didn't know where I was going to end up.
"I was just thankful to go to work. [But now I'm] back in the heat, for one. He allowed me to play in the dome, for two. And, three, it's America's team. Also, it's just great to learn from someone like Dak."
Although Maye quickly established himself as likely the real deal in New England, Milton comes to a situation in Dallas in which the starter blocking his way is even more entrenched.
Prescott is the NFL's highest-paid quarterback by a wide margin, with his annual average of $60 million topping the three signal-callers tied for second behind him -- Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Jordan Love -- by $5 million per year. However, the Cowboys' backup quarterback remains of vital importance given Prescott's injury history.
The soon-to-be 32-year-old is coming off a season-ending injury in which his hamstring tendon partially tore off the bone. He's fully healthy now and ready to make another go at ending Dallas' title drought, but he's missed 25 games over the past five seasons.
Should Prescott go down again, either Milton or Grier will get the call.
Grier has spent much of his career on practice squads. His last start came during his 2019 rookie season, when he went 0-2 for the Panthers and threw four interceptions without a touchdown pass.
Milton is a raw but exciting passer. He possesses a rocket arm that needs some fine-tuning in the accuracy department, but few would complain if what he put on tape in his lone start with the Pats became the norm. Milton was wheeling and dealing during his 23-16 win over the Bills (who mostly played backups), going 22 of 29 for 241 yards and a touchdown he paired with another score on the ground. He rolled away well from pressure but also capably threw under it, and launched multiple off-platform darts into narrow windows.
He made the most of his chance, and it led him here.
The newest addition to a reshuffled Cowboys QB room, Milton has found his place among his fellow signal-callers.
"It's great, man," Milton said. "We all have three different games, you know? Dak brings the most experience to the room and Will has been around football throughout his whole life. And then you've got me, whereas I didn't grow up with a quarterback coach.
I just happened to be so athletic, and I bring extra tools.
"I learned along the way and I'm able to do certain things. So, putting it all together, we just shape one another as quarterbacks. It's just great. We feed off of each other."
Should Milton ever find himself in position to showcase his talents beyond the preseason in 2025, the Cowboys will be hoping their low-risk move for him results in high reward.
