The Dallas Cowboys have the spotlight on them, and it's by design with team owner Jerry Jones running things. Yes, the team is dealing with the Micah Parsons saga, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer is trying to build the best 53-man roster possible for the start of the season.
On Saturday, the Cowboys lost 31-13 to the Baltimore Ravens. If there was one reason why the Cowboys lost, it was due to the lack of productivity from the quarterback position. Dak Prescott, the team's undisputed starter, didn't play. So, it was up to Joe Milton and Will Grier to show that they are worthy of the primary backup, where they'd get starts in the absolute worst-case scenario.
The thing is, both quarterbacks played poorly on Saturday. That doesn't bode well for the Cowboys, especially if Prescott were to miss timein the upcoming season.
Backup QB could ultimately doom Cowboys in 2025
Milton was a heavily sought-after backup quarterback after the New England Patriots let the league know that he was available for trade. Milton has a strong arm, and played well during the 2024 regular-season finale against the Buffalo Bills. The Cowboys decided to pull the trigger on a trade, and it cost a fifth-round draft pick.
Facing off against the Ravens, Milton struggled. He did show off his strong arm, connecting with Jonathan Mingo on a 49-yard pass. The thing is, Milton struggled with accuracy, missing on passes to multiple targets.
Then, there was the inability to sense defensive pressure. Look at the first quarter, Milton stood in Dallas' own end zone and could not see cornerback Keyon Martin running full speed at him. Milton was hit hard, resulting in a sack and a safety for the Ravens.
joe milton is living proof that having a strong arm means literally nothing in the NFL pic.twitter.com/XiNJdAWAUO
— j 🦅 (@JoelBleedsGreen) August 16, 2025
Milton finished his night completing 9-of-18 pass attempts for 122 yards, zero touchdowns and an interception.
Grier entered the game in the fourth quarter, having a chance to have a better performance on limited snaps. On his first drive, Grier seemingly got off to a good start, completing a 33-yard pass to tight end Princeton Fant. Two plays later, Grier was sacked and fumbled the football, allowing the Ravens to regain possession.
Grier had two more drives, one of which ending on a turnover on downs, and the other ending with him getting sacked as time expired. All in all, Grier completed just one pass for 33 yards on just five attempts.
Neither quarterback showed why they should win the QB2 job. That's not great news. As good as Prescott has been for the Cowboys, he has had his fair share of injuries. There was the 2020 season where he suffered a dislocated ankle. Then in 2022, Prescott missed five games due to a thumb fracture suffered in that season's opening game.
Without a quality backup quarterback, a team could be doomed. Based on the play this presason and on Saturday, the Cowboys may need to start looking at external backup quarterback options.