Cowboys Bring In Sam Howell With Dak's Future Still Unsettled

Sam Howell is in camp, which tells you something about where things stand with Dak Prescott. The Cowboys signed Howell this week, and the team confirmed he'll be an important part of training camp — straightforward enough on its face, but the timing matters. Prescott's contract remains unresolved heading into camp, and Dallas had no viable backup behind him entering the offseason. Adding Howell addresses the most basic form of that problem.

The broader picture is messier. Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens are all playing under expiring arrangements, leaving the offensive core in a kind of holding pattern. Pickens — who led the team with 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns last season — couldn't get a long-term deal done by mid-July and is on the franchise tag. Lamb missed four games in 2025 and his situation is similarly unresolved. The offense has real pieces; the question is whether those pieces are actually committed to being here.

Howell slots in behind Prescott on the depth chart, with Joe Milton third. Neither has logged meaningful snaps for this team, so for now it's Dak or it's a problem. That's been true for a while — the Cowboys simply didn't have a credible backup option before this move. Howell at least gives them a name with starting experience elsewhere in the league, which is more than they had a month ago.