Sam Howell in 2026: backup battle, preseason spotlight and what it means for the Cowboys

Sam Howell is in the middle of Dallas’s competition for the No. 2 quarterback job this preseason, taking snaps while starter Dak Prescott is inactive for preseason games, sources reporting from Cowboys camp say.

Lead: what’s happening

Multiple reports from Cowboys training camp and preseason coverage indicate the backup quarterback job in Dallas is an open competition in 2026, with Sam Howell and Joe Milton III both expected to play in the preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks. Team policy this summer keeps Dak Prescott out of preseason games, leaving the two reserves to show their readiness, according to local reporting from Oxnard, California. (Dallas News)

Verified details from reporting

• The Dallas Morning News (covering Cowboys camp in Oxnard) states the team is again holding a competition for the No. 2 quarterback role and specifically names Sam Howell and Joe Milton as the two contenders who will see action in the preseason opener in Seattle. The piece includes practice photos and on-the-ground reporting. (Dallas News)
• Local and national coverage note Dak Prescott will not be suited up for Saturday’s preseason game, consistent with the Cowboys’ approach of keeping starters out of preseason action. (CBS Sports; The Fantasy Footballers summarising Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting)

Context: why the preseason matters here

Coaches repeatedly emphasise that preseason snaps and training-camp performances are the clearest on-field evidence for deciding roster pecking order when starters sit out. Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer — cited in reporting — said preseason performances will carry substantial weight in deciding who becomes Dak Prescott’s primary reserve. With Prescott not playing in preseason, backup evaluation shifts to performance under game conditions for Milton and Howell. (Dallas News)

What the reporting says about Howell’s role

The reporting from the Cowboys’ camp frames Howell as an active participant in the competition rather than a presumptive starter or purely developmental QB. He is listed alongside Milton in team photos at practice and is expected to make his preseason debut in Seattle. That placement suggests Howell will have an opportunity to demonstrate game readiness, decision-making in live snaps and rapport with receivers in a way practice alone cannot reproduce. (Dallas News)

Implications for the Cowboys

• If Howell performs strongly in the preseason window, Dallas would have more confidence in a capable in-game substitute for Prescott during regular-season stretches when Prescott needs rest, injury cover or situational relief.
• If Milton outperforms Howell, the team’s depth chart would reflect that assessment, and Howell’s role could remain limited to developmental duties, special packages or emergency relief depending on roster moves and injury developments.
• Because Prescott is being held out of preseason action, the coaching staff must weigh preseason play against practice performance, experience and other intangibles when naming the No. 2. Reporting indicates coaches are explicitly using preseason evaluation to help make that choice. (Dallas News)

What remains unresolved

• Neither source in the packet provides a definitive announcement of who will be named the backup when the regular season begins; reporting describes a competition rather than a decision. (Dallas News)
• There is no authoritative, sourced account in the packet of how many snaps each quarterback will receive or the exact game-plan for splitting time in the preseason opener. That information will come from game-day reports and box scores after the Seattle game.
• No injury updates or roster moves in these sources alter the competition status; absent further reporting, it is unknown whether subsequent cuts, trades or injuries will change the picture. (CBS Sports; The Fantasy Footballers)

Timeline — from reporting in the packet

1. Training-camp practices in Oxnard, California, where Howell and Milton were photographed taking reps and observed by reporters. (Dallas News)
2. Preseason opener scheduled against the Seattle Seahawks, with both Howell and Milton expected to make season debuts there; Dak Prescott is not expected to play in that game. (Dallas News; CBS Sports)
3. Coaches have indicated preseason performances will influence the No. 2 QB decision. Final roster decisions typically occur after the preseason and the roster-cut deadlines; the sources describe the competition but do not record the final choice. (Dallas News)

How to follow developments

For readers tracking Howell’s standing: watch snap counts and coach comments after the preseason game in Seattle; local beat reporting and official team releases will confirm which quarterback the Cowboys list as No. 2 on opening-week rosters. The sources here establish the competition and Prescott’s absence from preseason action but stop short of a roster decision, so subsequent coverage will be decisive.

Why this matters beyond Dallas

Backup quarterback choices shape in-season roster flexibility for every NFL team. The Cowboys’ approach — keeping Dak Prescott out of preseason and using real-game snaps to judge reserves — mirrors a broader league trend of protecting starters while creating high-pressure audition windows for backups. That trade-off affects in-game decision-making, play-calling confidence and a team’s ability to withstand starter injuries over a long season.

Attribution and sources

This article relies on reporting from The Dallas Morning News detailing Cowboys training camp coverage and the backup QB competition, plus national summaries noting Dak Prescott will not play in the preseason opener. Exact phrases in this story are drawn from those reports; where the packet did not include a final roster announcement or detailed snap counts, this piece reports only the competition status and known coaching intent. (Dallas News; CBS Sports; The Fantasy Footballers)