QB Carousel: Desperate Patriots Sign Former Cowboys' Backup

Once home to the spectacular steadiness of Tom Brady, the New England Patriots' search for a consistent backup to Mac Jones has gone through Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham, Matt Corral, Ian Book and now former Dallas Cowboys' No. 3 Will Grier.

A certain sign of what has so far been a turbulent season for the New England Patriots: In the past four weeks they have made a dozen roster transactions with quarterbacks ... with no wins to show for them.

While Mac Jones has been improved as the starter - if on a pop-gun offense - the quarterback carousel behind him has been dizzying. The moves continued late Thursday as the Patriots signed former Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Will Grier off the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad onto their active roster.

Yes, ahead of incumbent backups Bailey Zappe and rookie Malik Cunningham. Grier will take the roster spot of second-year cornerback Marcus Jones, whose shoulder injury suffered last Sunday night against the Miami Dolphins is landing him on four-game injured reserve.

Grier spent training camp with the Cowboys, but was beaten out of the No. 2 job behind Dak Prescott by veteran Cooper Rush. When the Cowboys traded for former San Francisco 49ers' first-round draft pick Trey Lance, Grier became expendable.

Before he was released, however, he dazzled in Dallas' preseason finale, completing 29 of 35 passes for 305 yards, rushing for 54 yards and combining for four touchdowns while playing every snap as a lame-duck quarterback. His audition worked, as he was quickly signed to the practice squad of the Bengals.

Thursday's move came as a shock in Cincinnati, where starter Joe Burrow has limped through practice with a calf injury and Jake Browning is now the only other quarterback on its roster.

Grier, 28, who was drafted by the Panthers in the third round in 2019 - you want a crazy carousel? Corral was also a former Panthers' third-round pick -  has started only two games in the NFL ... both losses in Carolina. His signing off Cincy's practice squad is just the latest of a litany of seemingly desperate moves by New England to find consistency at the position. Since Aug. 29 the Patriots have:

*Cut Zappe and Cunningham from the active roster.

*Re-signed Zappe and Cunningham to the practice squad.

*Signed Matt Corral to the active roster.

*Placed Corral on the exempt/left team list.

*Promoted Zappe to the active roster.

*Demoted Zappe back to the practice squad.

*Cut Corral.

*Signed Ian Book to the practice squad.

*Cut Book.

*Attempted to re-sign Corral to the practice squad.

*Signed Grier.

The Patriots travel to AT&T Stadium to face the Cowboys Oct. 1.

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