Former NFL player lashes out at Jerry Jones' latest decision: “Sam Howell is trash, like dumpster trash”

The Dallas Cowboys ' decision to part ways with Joe Milton after initially including him on their 53-man roster has sparked a strong reaction from former NFL wide receiver Roddy White .

Milton's departure came as something of a surprise after the quarterback produced an impressive preseason campaign and appeared to have made a strong case to serve as Dak Prescott 's backup.

Instead, Dallas retained Sam Howell and subsequently waived Milton to create room for running back Emari Demercado .

White , who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons , made his frustration clear on social media. He argued that Milton's performances should have been enough to earn him a place on the roster.

“How the hell Joe Milton get cut. He literally dominated the whole preseason,” White wrote on X. “ Sam Howell is trash like dumpster trash.”

The blunt assessment immediately put the Cowboys ' quarterback decision under additional scrutiny.

While White's comments were particularly forceful, Milton's preseason numbers provide some explanation for why the move caught attention.

The 26-year-old completed 29 of his 43 attempts for 378 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions during the preseason. Those figures made him one of the more efficient quarterbacks competing for the backup role.

Milton joined Dallas last season after arriving in a trade with the New England Patriots . His opportunities were limited in his first season with the Cowboys, as he appeared in only four games and finished with 183 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

His development this summer, however, appeared to change the conversation around his future.

Why the Cowboys ultimately chose Howell

Howell's situation was complicated by both his preseason performances and his contract. The quarterback had $2.5 million guaranteed, including a $2 million base salary, meaning Dallas would have remained responsible for the guaranteed money even if it had decided to move on from him.

That financial reality likely played a role in the final decision.

Howell also produced his best stretch of preseason football in the finale against the New Orleans Saints . After opening the second half with a three-and-out that ended with a sack, he responded with a 52-yard completion to Jordan Hudson .

He then found Hudson for a 26-yard touchdown on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Howell subsequently engineered a 12-play, 67-yard scoring drive, which ended with Mitch Van Voren finding the end zone from 21 yards out. Howell added the two-point conversion himself, helping Dallas pull level.

That late performance may have strengthened Howell's position, even as Milton's overall preseason body of work appeared stronger.

Milton had also received praise from other former NFL players. Asante Samuel previously suggested that the quarterback could give Dallas another dimension if Prescott were forced to miss time.

“The Dallas Cowboys are gonna end up winning the NFC East. It’s just my prediction. I still expect them to be that good if Joe Milton does end up having to take over for some unfortunate reason, some unfortunate circumstances,” Samuel said on his podcast, Say What Needs to be Said.

“That probably will increase the Cowboys ’ chances of getting further in the playoffs. It’s just another way of saying Joe Milton III brings more to the table than Dak Prescott .”

Milton's physical tools also drew a comparison to former NFL MVP Cam Newton during Dallas' joint practice with New Orleans, adding to the sense that the quarterback had generated considerable momentum.

Still, the Cowboys ' decision may not necessarily represent the end of Milton's time in Dallas.

Because Milton has not yet accumulated enough service time to become a vested veteran, he must pass through waivers before he can become a free agent. If no team claims him, Dallas could bring him back on its practice squad.

That possibility makes the timing of the move particularly intriguing. Star-Telegram reporter Nick Harris suggested the Cowboys may have deliberately waited until after the initial roster deadline so fewer teams would have an immediate need at quarterback.

“I’m chalking up the timing of the Joe Milton III release to roster/waiver strategy,” Harris wrote on X. “Release him on Sunday, much higher chance he gets claimed. Release him today, a lot of teams have their QB situations figured out, making it more likely he clears waivers. Just my take.”

ESPN also reported that Dallas explored trade possibilities involving Milton before the 53-man deadline.

For now, Howell remains the Cowboys ' No. 2 quarterback, while Milton's next destination remains uncertain.

White's criticism may have been unusually harsh, but it reflects a wider debate surrounding a decision that came after Milton seemingly did everything possible to strengthen his case.

If Milton clears waivers and returns to Dallas' practice squad, the Cowboys could still have an opportunity to continue developing the talented young quarterback. If another team claims him, however, Dallas may quickly discover whether moving on from him was the right call.