Dak Prescott. He enters 2026 as the Cowboys starter for the eleventh straight season, with Sam Howell as the only other quarterback on the active roster after Dallas released Joe Milton at the end of August and chose to carry just two.
| Depth | Player | Status |
|---|---|---|
| QB1 | Dak Prescott | Undisputed starter, no camp competition |
| QB2 | Sam Howell | Won the backup job out of camp |
| Released | Joe Milton III | Cut August 31 when Dallas kept only two quarterbacks |
Dak Prescott Is Not in a Competition
There was never a question at the top of this depth chart. Prescott is entering his eleventh NFL season and will open as the starter for the eleventh time, which is every year he has been in the league.
He is coming off one of his better seasons. In 2025 he completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 4,552 yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He is playing on the four year, $240 million extension he signed in 2024, which at the time made him the highest paid player in the sport by average annual value.
The Backup Job Was the Real Battle
Sam Howell and Joe Milton III spent all of training camp splitting second team reps, and coach Brian Schottenheimer would not name a preseason starter between them for weeks. The rotation went back and forth through joint practices and three preseason games.
It ended abruptly. Dallas released Milton on August 31 during cutdowns, keeping only two quarterbacks on the initial 53 man roster and handing the job to Howell. Carrying two rather than three is a mild gamble for a team whose season has twice turned on Prescott’s availability.
What Happens If Prescott Goes Down
Sam Howell, and then whoever Dallas can sign or elevate. With no third quarterback on the active roster, the practice squad becomes the emergency plan, and teams are permitted to elevate practice squad players on game days.
That is the argument against the roster construction. It is also a bet on Prescott staying upright behind a line the Cowboys spent the offseason reworking, including a trade for former first round tackle Broderick Jones, who arrived to challenge Terence Steele at right tackle.
Who Prescott Is Throwing To
The supporting cast is the most interesting part of the 2026 offense. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are the top two receivers, with KaVontae Turpin, Ryan Flournoy and Jonathan Mingo behind them, and Jake Ferguson at tight end. Javonte Williams is the lead back.
Turpin is worth watching beyond the offense. He led the NFL in kickoff return yards last season with 1,814, returned both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns, made his first All-Pro team and re-signed on a three year deal worth a reported $18 million.
When He Plays Next
Dallas opens the season on Sunday, September 13 at the New York Giants at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC, the Sunday night game. It is the 128th regular season meeting between the two franchises, a series that started in 1960.
The Bottom Line
Dak Prescott is the Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback in 2026, for the eleventh consecutive season, backed up by Sam Howell and nobody else. The only quarterback drama this summer was the one that decided who sits behind him.