The Dallas Cowboys had their eyes set on an aggressive defensive rebuild. But after trading for four players on the defensive side of the ball, including defensive tackle Rashan Gary, Jerry Jones has turned towards the offense for one of the most unexpected positions. On Tuesday, he welcomed a quarterback who made his NFL debut in a 26-6 win against the Cowboys back in 2022.

Interestingly, this well-educated move, which will barely have any cap space impact, not only defies the team’s plan for a defensive push in free agency but also puts two veteran quarterbacks’ Dallas future in danger. Here’s how:

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that after the legal tampering period was open, the former Eagles QB Sam Howell agreed to a one-year deal with the Cowboys. The numbers are not out yet, but this interesting decision might be incentive-laden, with Howell increasing his pay if he appears in games. No one saw it coming because Prescott is firmly entrenched as the starter. It’s only obvious that he was brought in to accelerate the competition behind the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback. As such, Howell still puts a question mark on Joe Milton and Will Grier’s future with the team, primarily based on their NFL experience. Although Howell will be competing for a QB2 spot, here’s how the entire roster could be affected by this choice:

• What it means for Milton: It is highly unlikely that Dallas will move on from a third-year player they used a fifth-round pick on last year. So, Milton’s future in Dallas is more or less safe. However, Howell could beat him out for the backup position, pushing him to the QB3 spot.
• What it means for Grier: Naturally, this would mean that Grier, despite having more experience in starting games, will move out of the team. Unless, of course, he could perform better than Milton. Likely, the Cowboys don’t see Grier in their future (possibly why he was signed to a reserve/futures contract last month).
• What it means for the Cowboys’ cap space: After he made Prescott the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, Jones would not give a potential second- or third-string signal-caller a mention-worthy deal. As mentioned above, it would most likely be an incentive-heavy deal based on how Howell performs in the offseason camps and preseason matchups.

That said, let’s compare which backup QB might have the upper hand by the numbers:

Howell, having previously played for both Washington and Philadelphia, brings familiarity with NFC East defenses. He began the 2025 season as Jalen Hurts’ backup after Tanner McKee fractured the thumb on his throwing hand during training camp.

Once McKee returned ahead of Week 4, though, Howell moved down to the QB3 role. Although he never appeared in a regular-season game for Philadelphia, his departure now leaves Hurts and McKee as the only quarterbacks on the Eagles’ roster.

A fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Howell was originally selected by another NFC East rival of Dallas, the Washington Commanders. Howell’s first NFL start as a rookie came against Jerry Jones’ team in the Week 18 matchup of the 2022 season. In that game, he completed 11 of 19 passes for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also added five rushing attempts for 35 yards and a rushing TD to help Washington secure a 26-6 win over Dallas. He was named the starter the next season.

He started all 17 games, throwing for 3,946 yards with 21 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. At one point midseason, Howell briefly led the NFL in passing yards, highlighting the arm talent that once made him a highly regarded quarterback prospect coming out of North Carolina.

However, that season also exposed the challenges of operating behind an inconsistent offensive line, as Howell was sacked a league-high 65 times. He has played for the Commanders, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Eagles so far, with a career 62.6 percent completion rate. He was traded to the Minnesota Vikings during the 2025 offseason but was later traded to the Eagles.

Across his career, Howell has also added mobility to his profile, contributing roughly 300 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. At just 25 years old, he remains young enough that teams still view him as a developmental option rather than a finished product. More importantly, he comes at a lower price, given that he has just wrapped up his rookie contract.

Jones has made some other moves since the free agency negotiation period began on March 9. Safety Jalen Thompson, defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia, safety P.J. Locke, and defensive end Rashan Gary were all acquired in trade since Monday. However, the GM remains under scrutiny by those who believe the Cowboys have been too quiet in the market.

Jerry Jones faces criticism over his strategy at the start of NFL free agency

The Cowboys kicked off the free agency cycle this year with a trade for Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Rashan Gary. After that move, however, Dallas watched as other NFL teams signed some of the biggest free agents in the market. While this came after the Cowboys publicly lost out in the pursuit of star defensive end Maxx Crosby, Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com ranked Jerry Jones at the top of his list of the league’s “Biggest Losers” after the very first day of free agency.

“Gary is certainly an upgrade on what Dallas already had on the edge,” Chadiha wrote in a recent article. “It’s also worth wondering how impactful he will be as a Cowboy. Gary was once considered an ascending talent. A torn ACL in the 2022 season changed all that; he hasn’t been nearly as proficient at pressuring quarterbacks since he was before that injury.

“The 29-year-old also is set to count for $19.5 million against this year’s cap. There’s a reason the Packers were considering releasing him at some point this offseason. Jones certainly found a cheaper option for his pass rush. It remains to be seen if it will be an effective one.”

At the start of free agency, Jerry Jones decided to improve his team’s edge rush with Rashan Gary instead of betting a lot on Maxx Crosby. As per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cowboys sent a fourth-round pick from the 2027 NFL Draft to Green Bay in exchange for him. While the Packers selected Gary with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, he has posted at least 7.5 sacks in each of the past three seasons and even earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2024.

However, as Chadiha pointed out, while Rashan Gary signed a four-year, $96 million extension deal with the Packers back in 2023, he hasn’t fully delivered on the investment made in him. Gary is also expected to earn $19.5 million against the cap this year and another $22.5 million in 2027. And that financial commitment will push the Cowboys to restructure Gary’s deal to create more cap space.

Meanwhile, Jerry Jones also made another move to add some depth to the defensive front on the second day of free agency. On March 10, defensive lineman Sam Williams reportedly agreed to return to Dallas on a one-year, $3 million deal.

The Cowboys still hold two first-round picks in this year’s draft, so whether through free agency, trades, or draft-day maneuvering, Jones still has the capital to make bigger moves. He also earned two compensatory picks in the fifth round, adding to his draft capital. But will those moves arrive soon enough to silence Jones’ critics?