The Dallas Cowboys knew they were taking a risk when they waived quarterback Joe Milton shortly after roster cuts before the season. They survived such a risk for over a month. But now, they are losing Milton. And to make matters worse, he’s heading to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Eagles are signing Milton off the Cowboys’ practice squad and onto their 53-man roster. It’s the end of a gamble Dallas took weeks ago, and the timing of Philly’s move is anything but random.

Cowboys’ Joe Milton gamble finally backfires

The Cowboys gambled by waiving Milton prior to the season, and for a while, it worked. Nobody claimed him, and Dallas brought him back on the practice squad.

But a practice squad spot comes with no real protection. Per NFL rules, any team can sign a player off another team’s practice squad as long as it’s signing him to its 53-man roster. That’s exactly what the Eagles did.

The only way Dallas could have prevented it was by promoting Milton to its own 53-man roster before Philadelphia came calling. That didn’t happen.

What makes it sting a little more? The Eagles have already shown they know how to play this game. Earlier in the season, the Cowboys tried to poach cornerback Kenny Moore from Philly’s practice squad. The Eagles responded by signing Moore to their 53-man roster to keep him away from Dallas.

The Cowboys didn’t take such an approach with Milton.

The Week 7 matchup is right around the corner

The timing matters for two reasons. The first is the schedule.

Dallas and Philadelphia meet in Week 7 on Monday Night Football on Oct. 26, and it’s a high-stakes game for the NFC East. The Eagles entered the year among the favorites to win the division, but the picture has shifted. Prediction markets currently have the Cowboys at the top with a 45% chance to win the NFC East, followed by the New York Giants at 25%, and the Eagles at 22%.

Milton spent his time in Dallas learning the Cowboys’ offense. That’s a relevant piece of information when your new team is about to face your old one in a game with division implications. How much intel he can actually provide is up for debate, but you can bet Philly will at least ask.

Jalen Hurts’ situation adds another layer

The second reason has to do with the Eagles’ own quarterback room.

Starting quarterback Jalen Hurts is dealing with a blood clot, and his availability long term is a big question mark for Philadelphia.

The Eagles released a statement Thursday saying: “Jalen will be out for Sunday’s game versus the Panthers as we determine the appropriate course of treatment. His health and safety are our highest priority.”

That means Hurts will be inactive in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers. Tanner McKee is the projected starter for Sunday, with Cole Payton and now Milton also on the depth chart.

It’s still a difficult situation to evaluate because we don’t really know what’s next for Hurts. But depending on how his treatment goes, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Milton get a chance to start at some point this season.

For now, the Eagles score one on the Cowboys. Philly saw an opening, took a player Dallas wanted to keep, and did it a little more than a week before the two teams share the field.