The Dallas Cowboys are a team with massive expectations for next season, and they have been active in NFL free agency with those expectations in mind. They have been adding different pieces across the roster, and most recently, they added another quarterback to the quarterback room, Sam Howell, to compete for the backup spot behind Dak Prescott, making the room more interesting for 2026.
Sam Howell talked with The Athletic's Dallas Cowboys writer Jon Machota after signing a one-year deal about why it made sense for him to come to Dallas. He said he thinks he has a lot of good football left in him and the ability to continue developing as a quarterback under Brian Schottenheimer. He also said he wants to make the quarterback room better and help Dak Prescott in any way he can.
“I think there is a lot of good football ahead of me,” Howell said. “I think the opportunity to develop under (Brian Schottenheimer) is obviously something that was very enticing to me, which ultimately kind of led to me wanting to come here.
“… I'm just excited to be there. Try to make the (QB) room better. We'll all try to make each other better every single day. That's kind of the mentality and mindset I have coming in. At the end of the day, we're there to support Dak and try to help Dak and get better along the way.”
The move signals that the Cowboys plan to make the backup role more competitive, with Joe Milton and the newly signed Howell competing for the spot.
The biggest positive around Joe Milton is the fact that he has a cannon of an arm and can arguably throw a ball farther than anyone in the NFL. However, he has struggled with accuracy. In the Cowboys' Week 18 season finale against the Giants, Milton had a chance to prove he was the true QB2 and completely flopped, throwing an awful interception to Bobby Okereke and posting a 38.3 passer rating.
Howell has also had an inconsistent NFL career, but he has experience after being drafted by the Commanders, and that experience is invaluable even as a backup.
