Will Grier has not thrown a regular season pass since 2019, his first year in the NFL. He is, however, expected to make the Cowboys’ 53-man roster, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.
The Cowboys’ cap crunch rendered them unable to re-sign backup QB Cooper Rush, who started eight games in 2024 in relief of an injured Dak Prescott and who signed a two-year deal worth up to $12.2MM with the Ravens in March. At the time, it was believed Dallas would select a signal-caller in April’s draft and have that player compete with Grier to serve as Prescott’s backup in 2025.
Instead, the Cowboys acquired Joe Milton in a pre-draft trade with the Patriots, who had made Milton a sixth-round choice in 2024. The former Tennessee standout flashed in New England’s regular season finale against the Bills, and he reportedly wanted to be dealt to a team that would allow him to compete for a starting gig.
Obviously, the Cowboys’ starting quarterback position is already spoken for, but given Milton’s youth (he just turned 25 in March) and apparent upside, he would seemingly be the frontrunner for the QB2 post in 2025 (as our Ben Levine recently suggested). However, Watkins says that is not necessarily set in stone, and he indicates it is still unclear whether Milton or Grier will be tapped as Rush’s replacement.
Despite his lack of playing time, Grier has shown enough to stick on NFL rosters or practice squads since he entered the league as a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2019. That includes a two-year run with the Cowboys as a backup/third-stringer/practice squad player from 2021-22. Dallas cut him after acquiring Trey Lance via trade in August 2023, and he ultimately split the 2023 campaign between the Bengals, Patriots, and Chargers.
He reunited with former Cowboys OC Kellen Moore by signing a one-year contract with the Eagles in March 2024, but he did not crack Philadelphia’s 53-man roster. He was retained via a taxi squad deal before a November release, and he reunited with the Cowboys shortly thereafter. He then re-signed with Dallas on a one-year pact shortly after the 2024 season ended.
Now 30, Grier’s chances of becoming a regular starter in the NFL are quite slim. Milton, on the other hand, is entering the second year of his rookie contract and could still forge a path as a QB1 somewhere. Although they did not surrender much to acquire him, the Cowboys clearly saw enough in Milton to swing a trade for him. He will nonetheless have to earn backup duties.
One way or another, it seems both players will join Prescott in Dallas’ 2025 quarterbacks room.
every once in a while theres a QB who comes out of nowhere to make a name for himself just by getting a chance at the right place & right time. Gardner Minshew, Taylor Heinicke, Geno Smith some recent examples.
The next one is going to be Will Grier. If he’s still hanging around the league, despite never getting a full look, then there’s something he is doing in practices that coaches are intrigued by. Wait til Dak goes down again. Grier will put himself into top 32 QB territory.
Or maybe it’s because every team who’s signed him has had a GM who had the job his draft year and all of them liked him as a prospect. Or maybe he’s good in the locker room and seen as a future coach. The guy hasn’t played a snap since 2019.
Grier is a WV guy like Geno but he was seen as a Matt Corral type of guy who was more athletic than he was skilled as a passer.
It’s possible he’s improved to the point of being a legit QB though.