Joe Milton trade forces Cowboys to say quiet part out loud about Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys made arguably their splashiest move of the 2024-25 offseason on Thursday, acquiring quarterback Joe Milton III and a seventh-round draft pick from the New England Patriots in exchange for a fifth-round pick.

Milton, a 2024 sixth-round selection, recorded 241 passing yards and a touchdown in his single start last season for the Patriots. That performance was clearly enough for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to trade for the 25-year-old.

Dallas' starter, Dak Prescott, suffered a partial hamstring tear in November and underwent successful surgery which forced him to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Backup Cooper Rush handled starting duties in his absence but signed a lucrative contract with the Baltimore Ravens in March. The team let third-stringer Trey Lance walk in free agency.

Cowboys' trade for Joe Milton may indicate Dak Prescott's health is a concern

It makes perfect sense for Dallas to pursue a serviceable backup for Prescott given Rush and Lance's departures, but free agency is typically the first avenue for such a move. It's quite telling that Jones instead chose to give up a precious draft asset for such a raw yet impressive talent such as Milton.

There have been no indications that Prescott has suffered any setbacks in his recovery from hamstring surgery but bringing in Milton signals caution by Dallas. Perhaps new head coach Brian Schottenheimer wants to ease his $50 million QB back into action. Milton would then get a potential audition period to prove he could be the Cowboys' (or another team's) post-Prescott future a-la Justin Fields in 2024.

But if Prescott is cleared to start in Week 1, Milton's presence on the bench will likely invite critics to call for his being tapped in the moment Dak shows any cracks in his game. And NFL fans know it won't take long for that to happen.