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23 hours ago
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The Cowboys have added a new passer.
Dallas has agreed to a deal with New England for quarterback Joe Milton, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Milton spent just one season with the Patriots after being drafted in 2024. Still not far removed from his standout collegiate career between Michigan and Tennessee, he'll bring some youth to Dallas' offense.
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Here's what to know about the Milton-to-Dallas deal, plus an updated look at the Cowboys' quarterback depth chart.
MORE: The Sporting News' latest seven-round NFL mock draft
Joe Milton trade details
Cowboys receive:
- QB Joe Milton
- 7th-round pick
Patriots receive:
- 5th-round pick
New England is reportedly sending Milton and a seventh-round pick to Dallas in exchange for a fifth-round selection.
The Patriots signed QB Joshua Dobbs earlier in the 2025 free agency cycle, leaving Milton with limited opportunities as a potential third quarterback on the depth chart behind Dobbs and Drake Maye. Now, he'll join a Cowboys team that offers slightly more opportunity.
Cowboys QB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Dak Prescott |
| 2 | Joe Milton |
| 3 | Will Grier |
The Cowboys' trade for Milton will not affect Dak Prescott's status as QB1 in any fashion. The three-time Pro Bowler only played in eight games last season due to injury, but he's expected to be healthy for the 2025 campaign and return to leading a talented offense.
Prescott's hamstring injury ultimately doomed Dallas' 2024 season, as it went 7-10 and missed the playoffs. But throughout his career, he's led the Cowboys to five playoff appearances, throwing for over 31,000 passing yards, 213 touchdowns and 82 interceptions along the way. Even with a head coaching change in the offseason, the Cowboys remain Prescott's team.
However, the rest of Jerry Jones' quarterback room was looking pretty empty until the Milton trade. With the former Patriot now in the fold, he's the leading candidate to back up Prescott in 2025. Just 25 years old with limited NFL experience, Milton, a sixth-round pick last year, will be a quarterback Dallas can develop over the next year as well.
The only other passer on Dallas' roster is Will Grier, a 2019 third-round pick who has spent time on six different NFL teams, primarily as a practice squad quarterback. He's in his second stint with the Cowboys; Grier was with the team from 2021-23, then signed back with Dallas' practice squad in November 2024.
MORE: How Joe Milton trade leaves Patriots lacking at quarterback
What happened to Cooper Rush and Trey Lance?
Dallas spent the 2024 season with a deeper quarterback room than it has now. Cooper Rush was in his second stint with the team, a Cowboy in seven of his eight NFL seasons. Rush started in 14 games for Dallas over his tenure, becoming a solid backup option to Prescott.
When Prescott went down last season, Rush stepped in and totaled 1,844 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions in eight starts. But as a free agent, Rush recently signed with Baltimore, where he'll back up Lamar Jackson for the Ravens.
Lance, the former No. 3 overall pick, spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with Dallas as another backup for Prescott. Last season, he saw just one start. The 24-year-old also hit free agency after the 2024 season, and he remains a free agent as of April 3.
MORE: What to know about Trey Lance's potential move to the CFL
There's a chance that Lance doesn't return to the NFL for the 2025 season. The Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League recently added Lance to their negotiation list, suggesting his potential interest in joining the league.
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