Rumor: Dallas Cowboys Ex Will Grier As Starting QB for New England Patriots?

A new report states that former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Will Grier could take the reins for the New England Patriots if Mac Jones continues to struggle.

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Will Grier has been on quite the road for the past few weeks.

After the Cowboys acquired Trey Lance to be their new third-string quarterback, they informed Grier that they would release him at the roster cutdown deadline. Before his release, though, the Cowboys did Grier a favor by allowing him to play the entirety of their preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, as an audition of sorts for other teams. Grier didn't let the opportunity go to waste, as he accounted for over 350 total yards and four touchdowns in a Cowboys victory.

A few days later, the Cowboys officially released Grier, and he joined the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad soon after. Then in September, the New England Patriots stole Grier away from the Bengals by signing him to their active roster. While he has yet to appear in a game for the Patriots, that could be changing soon.

Grier winds up to make a pass during his time with the Cowboys

“From talking to people around the team, I think, if Mac Jones doesn’t succeed this week, if he doesn’t retain his job, I think it’s Will Grier’s,” Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal said on 98.5 The Sport Hub’s “Felger & Mazz.”

For added context, Jones has struggled immensely in recent weeks. The Patriots have lost two straight games in blowout fashion, including one to the Cowboys, and with Jones throwing no touchdowns and committing five turnovers across both games, he has found himself on the bench each time. Jones is slated to start Sunday's game against the Raiders, but it's fair to assume he's on thin ice.

For Grier to take over would be a surprise, though, as it was Bailey Zappe coming in for Jones. With the Patriots in the gutter at 1-4, though, anything is worth a shot.

Grier, 28, has only appeared in two regular-season NFL games, both coming as a rookie with the Carolina Panthers in 2019. In those two games, both starts, Grier completed 28 of 52 passes for 228 yards, no touchdowns and four interceptions. He was also sacked six times behind an abysmal Panthers offensive line.

Those numbers may not inspire confidence, but plenty of time has passed and if his latest preseason performance is anything to go by, maybe Grier could put in some work.