The Dallas Cowboys have just under two more weeks before the start of the regular season. After two preseason losses, the team will look to get back to winning ways before the games that actually matter finally commence.
Having been the guy for the majority of the past two games, losses to both the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Rams, backup quarterback, Joe Milton III will once again trot out onto the field come the start the last preseason game, according to head coach, Brian Schottenheimer, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.
The Cowboys Have Decided Upon Their Preseason QB Starter
“Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said at a Monday press conference that Milton will start the team’s preseason finale against the Falcons.” Alper reported on Monday, “Milton has underwhelmed so far this preseason and sparked conversations about the Cowboys looking for other options by going 9-of-18 for 122 yards with an interception against the Ravens on Saturday. Milton also took a sack for a safety during the game.”
This perhaps a surprising development, given that Milton is the presumed QB2 behind starter, Dak Prescott. Some teams, like the Eagles are resting their second string signal callers for the final game of preseason, alongside their franchise quarterbacks, allowing their third and fourth guys at the position get some valuable reps in.
But it seems like – as Alper notes – a combination of underwhelming play and a lack of experience – Milton has played just one NFL game heading into his second year in the league, a dead rubber against the Buffalo Bills on the final day of the season – has made the decision to keep him playing for the final preseason bout a clear decision.
Dallas Needs To ‘Figure Out More’ Of Joe Milton III
Per Schottenheimer, this choice to keep Milton in the lineup concerns more the necessity to learn more about the player himself, rather than about who will win the official backup role to start the regular season.
“Will Grier is the other in-house backup option and Schottenheimer was asked why he is not getting a start this month.
“It’s not that we want Joe to win the job or Will to lose the job,” Schottenheimer said, via Patrik Walker of the team’s website. “We need to figure out more about Joe.”
Given the other possibilities to play behind Dak Prescott, the think they’d like most is for Milton to figure out how to produce a better performance on Friday.”
Interestingly, Schottenheimer did not state that Milton was the team’s backup, implying that whilst Milton is presumably the favorite to win the job; as he is starting the game – like he has done in both of the other two; it is far from set in stone.
Milton has one last opportunity to show more glimpses of the kind of play he showed in the regular season finale back in January’s Week 18 game; where he ended up costing the Patriots the first overall pick; that caused the Cowboys to trade for him back in April.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Cowboys Make Joe Milton III Announcement Ahead Of Preseason Finale appeared first on Heavy Sports.