Barring a shocking turn of events, Dak Prescott will be the Dallas Cowboys’ starting quarterback in 2026 and beyond.
However, he’s had some injuries in the past, and with a massive cap hit on the horizon, this could also be somewhat of a contract year for the Cowboys’ veteran.
Considering that, and with two backups in the depth chart, the Cowboys must determine who’ll be QB2 between Joe Milton III and Sam Howell.
According to ESPN insider Todd Archer, the Cowboys have yet to figure out the pecking order behind Prescott, and OTAs will be crucial for both of them.
The Cowboys need to find a true QB2
“Acquired in a trade last year from the New England Patriots, Milton wowed with his arm strength last spring and into training camp,” Archer wrote. “In four regular-season appearances in 2025, he completed 15 of 24 passes for 183 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He played in the second half of the finale and was picked off. The Cowboys signed Sam Howell in free agency with a $2 million guarantee, so there will be a battle for the No. 2 job behind Prescott. Milton can show a growing understanding of the scheme in his second year in the offense by not just relying on his powerful arm.”
The Cowboys were one of the most aggressive teams this offseason. They went to great lengths to add firepower to all levels of their defense.
Given how much they thrived in offense in the first year of the Brian Schottenheimer era, having a somewhat decent defensive unit might be just enough to propel this team to Super Bowl contention.
Then again, we’ve seen how an unfortunate QB injury can derail a team’s season in the blink of an eye; it has even happened during the Prescott era.
Contending teams should spare no effort or expense to ensure they have a reliable backup, just as the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers did with Mac Jones and Malik Willis, respectively.
There’s no reason to believe the Cowboys are ready to move on from Prescott, though finances might force their hand to do so at one point in the near future.
Nevertheless, it’s better to be safe than sorry, and they must make the most of these practices to figure out who’ll be their signal-caller in case of an emergency.