Overview

• Joe Milton remains the inside-track candidate for the No. 2 job but his mixed preseason outings—26-of-47 for 265 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions and a safety—have failed to firm up the depth chart.
• Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has declined to name a backup quarterback and said he won’t decide until after the team’s final preseason game.
• Former Cowboys understudy Cooper Rush outplayed Milton in their preseason meeting, completing 20 of 30 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown in Baltimore’s 31-13 victory.
• Veteran Will Grier continues to compete for the backup role, keeping the Cowboys’ contingency plan behind Dak Prescott unsettled.
• Comparisons to Dallas’ 2020 backup carousel that coincided with a 6–10 finish underscore the urgency of securing a reliable understudy before Week 1.