Why the Joe Milton Project Can Work for Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys finally found their solution to the backup quarterback issue, trading for the Patriots promising backup, Joe Milton. Rumors in the Dallas media have been hinting at a potential Milton-to-Dallas trade ever since the Cowboys announced they weren't done making moves in this year's offseason. The former sixth-round pick by New England was traded for one of Dallas's fifth-round picks, where, in return, the Cowboys got Milton and a seventh. Despite only playing one game in his rookie year, one he didn’t even start in, Milton showed a lot of promise, making splash plays and showing off his tremendous arm talent. A simple trade for a backup quarterback, however, could Dallas make this Joe Milton project work?
As previously mentioned, Milton has only played one game so far in his NFL career, a lone Week 18 game versus the Bills, where he went 22 for 29, had a 75.9 percent completion percentage, 241 passing yards, and two touchdowns, both via the air and the ground. By far, his most impressive play was a touchdown pass where he spun and rolled left, displaying his insane arm talent; however, it was overturned due to a holding call. This performance sparked interest from several teams during the offseason, even from teams that had better offers than Dallas. However, New England stayed true to Milton's request and sent him to his preferred destination.
By trading Milton to the Cowboys, Dallas now has a long-term project quarterback they can work towards for the future past Dak Prescott, and it can actually work. In Dallas, Milton will benefit by joining one of the smartest quarterbacks and one of the best leaders in the NFL in Prescott, along with learning all the nuances and depths of how to run an NFL offense. The system he will be joining should also be one of the easier ones, as coach Brian Schottenheimer is emphasizing his idea of running the football more and controlling the tempo of the game. Another big factor for why the Cowboys made this trade was knowing that Milton could handle the pressure of playing for the Cowboys. Similarly to why they drafted Prescott back in 2016, Milton has played in high-intensity environments during his time at Tennessee, and playing for the Cowboys is no different. At age 25, Milton might be older than your average second-year quarterback, but with the athletic intangibles and joining a team that would be more than happy to help his development, Dallas possibly has found their future beyond Prescott.
