This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys have welcomed in multiple new faces.
From adding a veteran linebacker in Kenneth Murray Jr. in March to acquiring wide receiver George Pickens in a blockbuster trade earlier this month, the roster has seen much-needed improvement heading into the first season under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
While starting talent was needed, so was depth, and arguably no depth addition has drawn more intrigue than backup quarterback Joe Milton III.
After being acquired in a trade with the New England Patriots in early April, Milton has quickly earned the respect of his teammates and coaches in Dallas, as he looks to build on a rookie season that saw him start in the regular season finale and impress with 241 passing yards and two total touchdowns in a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Aside from his one on-field showing in the regular season and his time in the preseason with the Patriots, the Cowboys were excited about the player and person they were getting in Milton when they traded for him.
“I’m so excited about Joe,” Schottenheimer said after the team’s first OTA practice. “I was excited about Joe before we got him. When you go into these deals and you’re talking about making trades, we all reach out to people that you know, people that you trust, people that have been exposed to said player at college, different programs, friends that have been around him. And you just dig and you ask and you get different opinions and there’s always an outlier good and bad. With each of them, you try to peel those away.”
As Milton gets familiar with the system that Schottenheimer is trying to implement along with earning his spot as the backup to Dak Prescott in 2025, he’s done all of the little things right early on.
“From the time he’s been here, the work ethic is incredible,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s one of the first people in the building. He’s one of the last to leave. The way he’s attacked the playbook and picking it up has been incredible.”
In the one media availability so far during OTAs, Milton missed on a pair of downfield throws, but flashed his athleticism on a broken play that turned into a 20-yard gain as he escaped the pocket and took off down the middle of the field. In other practice sessions not open to the media, Star-Telegram sources have said that Milton has had multiple eye-popping throws downfield that give a glimpse into his potential.
“The talent speaks for itself,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s made some incredible throws. He’s just an exciting young prospect that I think the sky’s the limit for.”
