Cowboys Sign Will Grier to Practice Squad
With Dak Prescott officially ruled out for the 2024 season, the Dallas Cowboys are bringing back quarterback Will Grier. The team is signing Grier to their practice squad, marking his return to the organization after a previous stint with the Cowboys.
ESPN’s Todd Archer shared the news on November 12, 2024, via X, stating, “The Cowboys are signing Will Grier to their practice squad. He was with the organization in 2021-22. He was on Philadelphia’s practice squad most recently. Cowboys now have three QBs in the building with Dak Prescott looking at season-ending surgery.”
Grier was with the Cowboys for two seasons before being released as the team made its final 53-man roster ahead of the 2023 season. After that, he had brief tenures with the Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, and Los Angeles Chargers. Most recently, Grier was part of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Grier Was Once a First-Round Prospect in the 2019 NFL Draft
In his weekly interview on 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones confirmed that Prescott would undergo season-ending surgery to repair his hamstring. With Prescott sidelined, Grier joins Cooper Rush and Trey Lance as the team’s healthy quarterbacks.
At one point, Grier was considered one of the top quarterback prospects leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft. He was expected to be a first-round pick in many mock drafts but ultimately fell to the third round, where the Carolina Panthers selected him with the No. 100 overall pick. After two seasons in Carolina, the Panthers waived Grier in September 2021, and the Cowboys quickly claimed him off waivers.
Prescott Expressed Support for Grier Ahead of His Release
Grier’s standout college season came in 2018 at West Virginia, where he threw for 3,864 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, completing 67% of his passes. He also added 3 rushing touchdowns that year. However, his NFL career has not mirrored his college success. After the Cowboys traded for Trey Lance in August 2023, they released Grier. Prescott expressed surprise at the move but offered praise for Grier following the trade.
“I can’t say that I necessarily expected [a heads-up], no,” Prescott said at the time, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. “I understand though that that’s business. I understand that they’re probably on a timeline, they need to get something done. He felt like that strengthened this team and, yeah, ready to welcome [Lance] and, yeah, I mean knowing the strength of the quarterback room that we have. Honestly right now, my heart and my mind is with Will. So it’s a tough situation, honestly. Love that guy to death over there. Plays his ass off, comes in, prepares the right way each and every day.”
Uncertainty at Quarterback for the Cowboys in 2025
Looking ahead, the Cowboys face uncertainty at quarterback for the 2025 season. Both Trey Lance and Cooper Rush are set to become free agents, and Prescott will be recovering from his season-ending surgery. Grier could have an opportunity to make the 2025 roster and compete for the backup quarterback role if both Rush and Lance leave in free agency. Whether Grier gets any playing time this season remains to be seen, especially as the Cowboys’ playoff hopes diminish without Prescott.
