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USA Today
21 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys 53-man roster projection sees former 1st-round pick with fully guaranteed deal cut
Could the Cowboys offense undergo an unexpected shakeup this summer? Status quo should not be counted on. It's finally time. The Dallas Cowboys have packed up the team buses and filled the charter plane, heading west to Oxnard, CA to begin their 2025 training camp. With practices commencing on Tuesday, what better time to predict what things will look like come the end of August when the 90-man roster is whittled down to 53 than the present? Dallas is deep in some areas, like edge rusher with a ton of high-pedigree bodies of all ages, and shallow in others, like the defensive interior. The team took a sharp turn from their 2024 talent acquisition process, grabbing veterans on both the free agent and trade market to offset some of their losses. In that vein, here's an updated projection for the team's 53-man roster, which will be decided in full on August 26 following the third and final preseason game. The savvy reader will add up the counts and see there are only 52 names on the main roster; the suspicion is Dallas is going to make some sort of move to bring in a starter from somewhere else before Week 1. Quarterbacks (2 on roster, 1 on practice squad) Expecting a strong summer performance from both Dak Prescott and second-year acquisition Joe Milton. Milton may not be active on game-day to start the year, though, as the club might allow Will Grier to be the practice-squad call-up for the first several games and then decide whether to roster him. This was the method they used with Cooper Rush, to allow them to protect another player on the 53-man roster until an IR trip opened up a spot. Roster Locks Practice Squad Running Backs (3 + 2) The two veteran offseason signings are going to make the club. When he was OC in Seattle, Schottenheimer never carried a fullback, though in his third of three seasons did employ bigger backs Carlos Hyde and Bo Scarborough, who were only about 5-7 pounds lighter than Hunter Luepke. We have Luepky getting a practice squad spot if he clears waivers, until the team is comfortable with giving Phil Mafah snaps in games that count. Roster Locks Pretty Secure Practice Squad Cut Candidate Tight Ends (3 + 1) I think it's a strong possibility that when it gets time to trim the roster, the Cowboys are going to trade Luke Schoonmaker. It seems a real possibility that Brevyn Spann-Ford will surpass him in the hierarchy, and the team may be able to recoup a Day 3 pick for the former second rounder. The idea is laid out here. Roster Locks Pretty Secure None Think They Make It Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash Cut or Trade Candidate Wide Receivers (6 + 3) The infusion of talent in the trade acquisition of George Pickens took this group from questionable into the conversation for one of the league's best. Instantly the Cowboys have a WR3 in Tolbert who has skins on the wall, a big-play gadget WR4 in Kavontae Turpin, and the upside of young players such as Jonathan Mingo and Ryan Flournoy where if either shows future WR2 capabilities it's one of the deeper groups in the NFL, led by First-Team All-Pro candidate CeeDee Lamb. Roster Locks Pretty Secure None Think They Make It Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash Cut or Trade Candidate Offensive Linemen (10 + 2) Predicting the Cowboys roll with 10 offensive linemen on the initial roster makes us a little more comfortable than recent versions of the projections. Six linemen are here for sure, with another two seeming like very smart bets. Outside of those eight, there's a player who was stashed with an injury last camp, a veteran looking to return after a year away from the game, and then a late-round flyer and late FA addition who the team. The youth along the offensive line breeds both hope and anxiety, and how well they've developed and can play out the gate under the new regime dedicated to their play is going to define how the club's season goes. Roster Locks Pretty Secure Think They Make It Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash None Cut or Trade Candidate Defensive Ends (5 + 1) Perhaps the easiest group to size up, the Cowboys should have one of the league's best edge rusher rotations in 2025. Led by 2021 first-round pick Micah Parsons, the group has spent draft capital (three second-round picks) and free agency dollars on high-pedigree additions, including two former first rounders added to the fold. Training camp battles will be about earning a place in a deep rotation, and for a handful of others, likely fighting for one practice squad spot. In this iteration, we see Dallas letting Payton Turner go, despite his $1.4 million contract being guaranteed and his former first-round pick pedigree. Roster Locks Pretty Secure Think They Make It None Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash None Cut or Trade Candidate Defensive Tackles (5 + 2) It's a pretty wild drop off from the amount of talent in one of the DL rooms to the other, but here goes. Roster Locks Pretty Secure Think They Make It Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash None Cut or Trade Candidate Linebackers (5 + 1) The Cowboys are probably worse at linebacker heading into 2025 than they were 2024, due to the injury to up-and-coming star DeMarvion Overshown. There's hope, however, due to the new DC being a linebacker guru. Matt Eberflus brought an up-and-coming player with him, as well as a high-pedigree veteran who joined via trade. Roster Locks Pretty Secure Think They Make It Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash Cut or Trade Candidate Cornerbacks (6 + 2) A change here, as we're including Trevon Diggs on the opening roster. While I don't believe he's ready to go for Week 1, I do think that he will practice some in training camp and the team won't be able to put him on PUP. What about Returnable IR to start the year? Instead of making him wait a minimum of four games and using one of eight returnable slots, Diggs is just inactive for the first few weeks. Roster Locks Pretty Secure None Think They Make It Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash None Cut or Trade Candidate Safeties (4 + 1) The Cowboys are going to be deploying a split safety look, so this depth chart feels a bit shallow. Perhaps an addition from outside the roster happens. Roster Locks Pretty Secure Think They Make It None Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash None Cut or Trade Candidate Special Teams (3 + 1) Roster Locks Pretty Secure Think They Make It Practice Squad PUP/NFI/IR Stash None Cut or Trade Candidate None
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys Will Cut Dak 'Folk Hero' Backup In Subtly Smart Prediction
Cowboys Will Cut Dak 'Folk Hero' Backup In Subtly Smart Prediction originally appeared on Athlon Sports. FRISCO - One of the advantages of being a backup quarterback in the NFL? Do just a little something worthwhile ... and don't screw anything up too badly ... Advertisement And you get to be a local folk hero. Will Grier surely recognizes how that is happening now with "Bazooka'' Joe Milton and his big-armed athletic promise; Milton is suddenly the people's choice around here to serve at the backup to Dak Prescott. And Milton, based on our observation of OTAs and minicamp, seems to be the choice of the new Brian Schottenheimer-led coaching staff as well. Some are predicting a tight training camp competition between sudden No. 2 QB Milton (acquired via trade this offseason) and journeyman Grier (who was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft). Advertisement As we've explained here, Dallas having given up draft capital to land Milton can mean the front office wants to be right ... and wants him to get and retain the job. We've predicted that he'll do so. Our colleague, The Athletic's Jon Machota, adds on that he thinks the Cowboys will do so while only keeping two quarterbacks. This means Grier won't have a job when Dallas finalizes the team's final 53-man roster. ... and the logic is obvious and simple. Grier almost had a backup job won a couple of years ago - behind Dak and Cooper Rush (who is now with the Ravens). He performed impressively in a final preseason game and became that aforementioned "local folk hero.'' Advertisement But a few days later, the Cowboys quarterback room changed when the team traded for Trey Lance walk in free agency. And that was the end of Grier here ... for awhile. He's hung on more recently and is well-liked here inside The Star. But once the Cowboys were able to land Milton from the New England Patriots in a trade? Time for a new folk hero. As Machota writes, "There's really not much to debate about here. Rush was a more experienced player, but Milton has the higher upside.' And there is something else. If the Cowboys cut Milton? Other teams might see that upside and that cheap contract and want to claim him. Advertisement If the Cowboys cut Grier? It's a subtly smart thing to do because it's also an easy bet that he'll go unclaimed, and then boomerang back to Dallas to join the practice squad ... and get a job here once again. The best solution at quarterback, of course? Milton excels in preseason. And Grier does, too. And then the regular season begins and we never see them again in 2025 because Dak starts 17 games for a team that figures to push to the playoffs if he does. Related: Jerry Jones' Cowboys Announce $500,000 Donation Following Texas Flooding Tragedy Related: Cowboys' Dak Prescott Top 'X-Factor' In NFC East Race This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cowboys Fans Marvel At Joe Milton 'Dime' Video While Questioning Dak Prescott
Cowboys Fans Marvel At Joe Milton 'Dime' Video While Questioning Dak Prescott originally appeared on Athlon Sports. FRISCO - In football, the most popular guy in town is always the backup quarterback. As Dallas Cowboys training camp approaches, Joe Milton is feeling that love now. Advertisement But how long will the feeling last? And what does being the new No. 2 QB, Joe Milton, have to do with posing a threat to the starting job of Dak Prescott? Fans who know how good Cooper Rush was filling in for Prescott are now giddy about the prospects of Milton. Some fans and analysts even predicted that the Cowboys would have a new starter this season. However, regarding Dallas' plan ... those fans and analysts are wrong. Much of the wild speculation is based on Prescott's nine seasons – good ones when healthy – vs. one single game by Milton. He starred in a meaningless regular-season finale for the New England Patriots in 2024, throwing and running for touchdowns. Advertisement At 25 and with dual-threat athleticism, Cowboys fans – and some media – immediately began singing Milton's praises this offseason. Some of the wildest rumors even predicted the Cowboys would trade Prescott to the Cleveland Browns and give the starting job to Milton before a single training-camp snap. Prescott is in the prime of his career. As the highest-paid player in NFL history, smart critics can agree it's time for him to deliver at the very least a winning playoff run. But is Milton threatening to take his job? Nope. But what about the marvel of these videos showing him running, spinning, backflipping and throwing a "dime"? Advertisement Politely ... Nope. The Cowboys signed Prescott to an extension through 2028 in September, making him the highest-paid quarterback in the game. There is an "escape hatch" after the 2027 season. Want a major change? You'll have to wait until then. Prescott is under immense pressure to stay healthy, perform as a top-10 quarterback and lead the Cowboys to multiple playoff wins this season. Highlights aside, "Bazooka" Milton is projected to have very little to do with that. Related: Cowboys' Dak Prescott Top 'X-Factor' In NFC East Race Related: Cowboys' Dak Prescott and Eagles' Jalen Hurts Predicted To Slide Behind Commanders QB Jayden Daniels in NFC East Race This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys' 'Bazooka Joe' Milton 3 Steps Away From Winning Dak Backup Job
Cowboys' 'Bazooka Joe' Milton 3 Steps Away From Winning Dak Backup Job originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In recent years, the Dallas Cowboys have developed a reputation for being relatively quiet during the offseason, a frustrating trend for fans. Advertisement However, in a move that surprised many in the NFL world, the Cowboys broke that trend by acquiring quarterback Joe Milton III, along with a 2025 seventh-round pick, in exchange for their 2025 fifth-round pick. It's a solid all-upside move with promise in terms of depth for the quarterback room. But can it be something more? Longtime backup Cooper Rush, who spent the past few seasons as Dak Prescott's primary No. 2, signed with the Baltimore Ravens to back up 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, former third-string QB Trey Lance - a failed experiment here - also made a move, signing with the Los Angeles Chargers to back up Justin Herbert. Advertisement With both gone, the No. 2 job in Dallas is now wide open between Joe Milton and Will Grier. ... and as our Mike Fisher reported here at weeks ago, second-year man Milton seemed to make his move toward second-string on the depth chart. The suggestion that Milton is emerging as the frontrunner for the role is the stuff dreams are made of. His rare blend of size at 6-5 and 240 pounds, with mobility, doing-backflips athleticism and an 85-yard-bomb rocket for an arm has left coaches and scouts thoroughly impressed with his physical traits. Some even argue Milton has one of the strongest arms in the entire league. Advertisement But with that arm strength and the rest come his three biggest flaws. 1 - Accuracy. Milton has developed a reputation for throwing what some may call 'the prettiest incompletions you'll ever see.' As pretty as his deep throws may look, the key question is whether he can consistently put them in the hands of his receivers. 2 - Inexperience. He was a late-round Patriots pick a year ago and got to play in one game. Watch Dallas feed him snaps in this summer's preseason games; he needs 'em all. 3 - Consistency. "Bazooka Joe'' is "exciting.'' But he's a long way from mastering the "boring'' ... That is to say, all of the same footwork and all of the same reads and all of the same motions ... over and over and over again until he knows it all by rote. Advertisement Even without those three things? Milton could be a helpful option to sit behind a veteran like Dak Prescott. But with those three things? Not only will he benefit from learning under Dak, but given Prescott's recent injury history, Milton could realistically be called upon for meaningful snaps in 2025. ... and he could succeed as something more than "upside promise.'' Get more from Hayden Pustejovsky here. Related: Dallas QB Prescott Earns 'Controversial' Low Ranking in NFC East Related: Cowboys' Aubrey Details 'No Guarantees' Contract Reality With Jerry Jones This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
23-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Update on ex-Patriots QB Joe Milton's performance at Cowboys minicamp
The New England Patriots made a gamble when trading backup quarterback Joe Milton III, along with a seventh-round draft pick, to the Dallas Cowboys for a fifth-round pick. They essentially moved a promising young quarterback with three years left on his rookie deal for virtually nothing. That decision initially upset some fans, even with all of the excitement surrounding the potential of starter Drake Maye. It seemed like the Patriots were jumping the gun on a move that didn't need to be made in the 2025 offseason. So what has Milton looked like since the trade to Dallas? There has been a great deal of buzz and optimism surrounding Milton's potential throughout the spring practices. However, Tommy Yarrish noted the "Joe Milton experience" showing up at one particular minicamp practice. Milton's athletic traits are off the charts, but there are occasional off-target throws and indecisiveness from the pocket that can be frustrating at times. Yarrish wrote: "The Joe Milton experience was back today, with a couple errant throws and taking some time to decide on a target, but some ropes to with one on the move to Ryan Flournoy and another to Mingo in the corner of the endzone for a touchdown." Milton's inconsistent play is a big reason why he fell to the sixth round in the 2024 NFL draft. He has shown tremendous growth in his short time in the NFL, and his physical talent could ultimately pave the path for him to be a starter one day. Whether that will be with the Cowboys or not remains to be seen, especially with a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback in Dak Prescott slotted higher on the depth chart. There's a good chance Milton ends up riding the bench the same way he would have done if he stayed in New England. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
