Cowboys Sign Veteran QB: New Dak Prescott Backup?

Will Grier was claimed off waivers by the Cowboys Wednesday morning

Jeremy Brener | Sep 1, 2021

There's a new quarterback in town. Is there a new backup for Dak Prescott?

According to our sources, the Dallas Cowboys have claimed former Carolina Panthers quarterback Will Grier off waivers.

The move comes after the team parted ways with Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert as part of Tuesday's roster cuts. Grier joins Prescott and current-No. 2 Cooper Rush in the newly-constructed QB room in Dallas.

The former Panthers' quarterback was drafted in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft and was initially viewed as the potential heir apparent to Cam Newton in Carolina. Grier was heavily recruited out of high school and played one season at the University of Florida before transferring and playing two seasons at West Virginia.

Though Cowboys executives in recent days have downplayed bringing in an outside veteran, Grier's familiarity with quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier certainly played a part in his attractiveness. Grier played under Nussmeier during his one year in Gainesville.

"I really like how coach Nussmeier is very hands-on," Grier said while at Florida. "He does a really good job when we watch film and watch practice. He knows what he's doing. He's done it. I feel really comfortable with being a sponge as much as I can with him."

He had an opportunity to get playing time in his rookie NFL season following an injury to Newton, but he was outplayed by teammate Kyle Allen. Grier did play in the final two games for the Panthers in 2019, throwing for 228 yards and four interceptions. He did not see the field in 2020.

During the 2021 preseason, Grier saw action in all three games and threw for 221 yards, but failed to find the end zone and ultimately lost the backup job to P.J. Walker.

While Grier has not lived up to his status he had in his high school days, a change of scenery could be welcomed as he brings more insurance in case Prescott finds himself on the sidelines again this season.

The addition of Grier does not jump him ahead of Rush on the depth chart, but he definitely has the potential to challenge him for the role considering Rush's lackluster preseason.

Having another body in the building can only help the Cowboys and keeps the team protected in case of emergency.

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Published Sep 1, 2021

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.