In what has seemingly become a new annual tradition, the Dallas Cowboys traded for a young backup quarterback on Thursday.
Last off-season, the team traded for former first-round pick Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers. While Lance is still on the roster, quarterback Cooper Rush signed with the Baltimore Ravens, leaving a void in the quarterback room. Thus, the Cowboys turned to the trade market again.
Dallas acquired quarterback Joe Milton from the New England Patriots in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter had the news first.
Trade: New England is sending QB Joe Milton to the Dallas Cowboys, sources tell ESPN. With Cooper Rush going to Baltimore, Dallas now has a new backup for Dak Prescott. pic.twitter.com/AIVVuvsel2
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 3, 2025
Milton started his college career at Michigan, spending three seasons in Ann Arbor and starting five of the team’s six games in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.
He transferred to Tennessee after the season and spent three seasons with the Vols. He played in 29 games for Tennessee, becoming the full-time starter in the 2023 season where he threw for 20 touchdown passes and added another seven on the ground.
Milton didn’t see the field too often with the Patriots, but started the team’s season finale against the Buffalo Bills and led New England to a 23-16 victory. Milton went 22-for-29 for 249 passing yards, along with one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in the victory.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has played in all 17 games just once in the past three seasons, so Milton may wind up seeing the field more for Dallas than he did for New England.
