The Philadelphia Eagles signed quarterback Joe Milton off the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad on Friday, October 16, 2026, adding emergency depth at the position one day after starter Jalen Hurts was ruled out with a blood clot in his calf. Philadelphia grabbed Milton directly from a division rival, a move first reported by NFL insiders and confirmed by multiple outlets on Friday.
Eagles Poach Milton Off a Division Rival
One day after losing Jalen Hurts to a superficial blood clot, the Philadelphia Eagles signed quarterback Joe Milton off the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad, according to multiple reports. Under NFL rules, signing a player off another team's practice squad requires that player be placed on the 53-man roster, so Milton arrives in Philadelphia as a full roster member rather than a practice-squad arm.
The timing stung in Dallas. Milton had spent the opening five weeks of the season on the Cowboys' practice squad after losing the backup competition in training camp, and now he switches sides within the NFC East at a moment when both franchises are jockeying for position in a crowded division.
Why Hurts Is Out: The Blood Clot Timeline
From a Cleat to a Clot
Hurts practiced last week and informed the medical staff of the injury after practice on Oct. 8, and the former Super Bowl MVP was back at practice the next day before the team left for London to play Jacksonville. An ultrasound performed after the team's arrival overseas turned up the clot, and the results showed a superficial blood clot, but doctors determined that activity and mobility were important and that Hurts could safely play.
Hurts went on to play in the Eagles' London trip against the Jaguars, but doctors recommended a follow-up scan once the team returned home. A follow-up ultrasound Wednesday night showed movement in the small, superficial blood clot, changing the plan for Philadelphia's quarterback. Hurts addressed reporters before that second scan, calling the situation "a very unique experience, to say the least" without detailing what led up to the London game.
The Eagles' Quarterback Room Takes Shape
With Hurts sidelined, Tanner McKee is set to make his third career start on Sunday against Carolina. Andy Dalton, who entered this season as Philadelphia's No. 2 quarterback, was released by the club on Oct. 9, leaving rookie Cole Payton as the only other passer on the roster before Milton's arrival. McKee will be the starter, while the left-handed Payton is more of a gadget option who is not likely to be trusted in a full-time role.
The team has not revealed a firm recovery window for its franchise quarterback. Hurts won't play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, and the team hasn't provided a timeline for his return. That uncertainty is part of why the front office moved so quickly to secure a third experienced arm rather than lean solely on a rookie behind McKee.
Who Is Joe Milton? A Big Arm on a Long Road to Philadelphia
Milton arrives with a well-traveled résumé. He spent three seasons at Michigan before transferring to Tennessee, where he finished out the 2021 season starting wins against Vanderbilt and Clemson and earned Orange Bowl MVP honors with 251 passing yards and three touchdowns against the Tigers. As a full-time starter in 2023, Milton went 11-5 as Tennessee's starting quarterback and completed 314 of 498 passes for 4,159 yards and 32 touchdowns with just five interceptions while adding 505 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground.
Milton is in his third NFL season after being a sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft by the New England Patriots, and he played one game as a rookie before being traded to Dallas in April 2025. At 6-foot-5 and 236 pounds, he has long been known for a cannon of an arm, the kind of physical trait that made him a training-camp favorite even as he lost the backup job to Sam Howell in Dallas.
What Comes Next for Milton and the Eagles
Week 6 vs. Carolina
Milton is not expected to factor into this Sunday's plans right away. Given the timing of his signing, Payton would seem likely to remain Philadelphia's No. 2 quarterback against the Panthers, with Milton needing time to absorb the Eagles' playbook before he is trusted in a game-day role.
A Potential Reunion in Week 7
The more intriguing storyline sits one week away. Joe Milton and the Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Carolina Panthers this week, and they host the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 7, meaning Milton could find himself on the opposite sideline from the organization that drafted him into its system just months ago. Whether Hurts is back by then remains unclear, but for now Milton gives the Eagles a battle-tested arm as they navigate a season already marked by major roster turnover on both sides of the ball.
For Dallas, losing Milton stings less for his on-field impact than for the reminder of how thin the margins are within the division; both the Cowboys and Eagles currently sit outside first place in the NFC East, making every roster decision over the coming weeks carry extra weight.