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It’s not common practice to develop a specialist role for a key position such as quarterback in today’s NFL. A starter is a starter and removing said player tips off intensions and frankly comes off as a little disrespectful. For the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott, replacing the QB in select goal-line packages could be seen as both, even if it seems like a smart course of action for all parties involved.
The Cowboys touchdown scoring percentage in the red zone was just 46 percent in 2024. That was second to last in the NFL, ranking only above the lowly Giants. The Cowboys’ inability to get into the endzone was a season-long issue, dating back before Prescott’s season-ending injury. It left points on the board and ultimately demoralized an already fragile unit.
Prescott is scheduled to return in 2025 with a full bill of health. In previous seasons, he’s been an assassin from the red zone, guiding the Cowboys to a No. 12 ranking in 2023 and to No. 1 overall ranking in 2022. Given his past proficiency, it’s not preposterous to think he can bounce back to those levels again in 2025, but is the risk worth it?
A major part of Prescott’s redzone efficiency lies in his ability to run the ball. As a ball carrier Prescott operated at a 0.40 EPA/play with a 100 percent success rate on two attempts in 2024. The season before he was at 0.16 EPA/play with a 71.43% success rate on 14 attempts. QBs are universally a highly efficient rushing option from the red zone; the only downside is such plays open them up to hits and potential injury. The Cowboys can ill afford to suffer and injury of Prescott’s magnitude so alternatives need to be explored.
Prescott, 32, is the highest paid player in the NFL and an irreplaceable part on the Cowboys’ machine. He’s not injury prone, per say, but having missed five or more games in three of the last five seasons, he’s not exactly made of metal either. Using him as a runner might be more risk than the Cowboys want to take on and finding a replacement option may not be as crazy as it sounds when all factors are under consideration.
After adding Joe Milton in an offseason trade, the Cowboys have an intriguing option as a situational replacement to Prescott. The highly gifted, yet severely underdeveloped, quarterback prospect is sure to drive headlines throughout the summer with dazzling throws and highlight runs.
Milton, who has three years and $3 million remaining on his rookie deal, could be the answer in the red zone based on his skillset and dispensability. If Prescott gets hurt tucking and running the season might be over for the Cowboys. If Milton gets hurt running the rock, it’s unlikely to have any impact on the success or failure of the season, and the financial investment in him is already minimal.
At 6-foot-5, 246-pounds, Milton is built for the part. Coming from an RPO-rich offense in college, Milton is an ideal dual-threat inside the redzone. His reads downfield and accuracy as a passer leave something to be desired, but if cast into zone-read role where he can either handoff or run it himself, he offers something Prescott does not. Incorporating a single read as a passer is a great way to take that zone-read attack into a simple, but multifaceted, RPO.
Once upon a time the idea of having a dedicated closer in baseball seemed absurd. It wasn’t until the late 1970s when teams started to designate specialists and from there it took years before it became the norm. In much the same way an occasional red-zone specialist could be normalized on early downs in the NFL. For teams with veteran QBs who are too important to risk and somewhat susceptible to injury, bringing in a dual-threat QB on early downs (non-obvious passing downs) could be a great way to take advantage of the game’s highest leverage situations.
QB runs are an important part of an efficient redzone offense but with a QB1 who’s too important to risk, situational alternatives should be explored. Can Milton be that alternative?
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