Will Grier to the Dallas Cowboys: Will the former Panther be the backup QB in Dallas?
The Dallas Cowboys claimed Will Grier off waivers after the Carolina Panthers released him this week. The move comes after the Cowboys released Garrett Gilbert and placed Ben DiNucci on the practice squad. Grier now finds himself with a chance to overtake Cooper Rush as the backup quarterback for the Cowboys.
Grier has a long road ahead of him, though. He hasn't been given much of a sample size since entering the NFL. But for that matter, neither has Rush. So, can Will Grier be the backup quarterback for the Cowboys?
Will Grier's chances of being the Dallas Cowboys' backup quarterback
Will Grier's player profile
Grier came out of college in 2019, the same year as Kyler Murray, Drew Lock and Dwayne Haskins Jr. He left college with an 81 to 23 touchdown-interception ratio. Grier possesses the size you want in a quarterback at 6'2". He was sturdy in the pocket but lacked a deep ball and lagged behind in the arm strength department.
Grier has only been given two chances to start in the NFL thus far. Those games came in his rookie year and they were far from decent. He threw four interceptions and was sacked six times. His 33.2 quarterback rating screamed poor decision-making. It should be noted that his offensive line did him no favors in 2019. They struggled mightily at pass protection, which is imperative for a rookie quarterback.
In Dallas, he'll play behind one of the best offensive lines in the league if he wins the job. Grier isn't much of a scrambler and is more comfortable standing in the pocket.
He did a much better job of limiting bad plays and managing the game this preseason. He threw no interceptions in the preseason and completed 71 percent of his passes.
Cooper Rush with one eye on Grier
Grier's competition comes in Rush, who has thrown just three passes in his NFL career. Gilbert and DiNucci, who were released, have a smaller sample size than Grier. Those three attempts came back in 2017. Rush is the same size as Grier but is a bit more willing to move out of the pocket if it collapses.
Rush hasn't had a lot of success moving the ball this preseason. His main advantage is his experience in the system. He's more familiar with Kellen Moore's play calls than Grier. Rush was with the team from 2017 through 2019 and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is as loyal as they come.
Rush has the advantage over Grier... for now
For the time being, Rush has the advantage over Grier. Neither has much experience in games, though Grier does have two games as a starter under his belt. But, Jones is loyal to his veterans and Rush has been in the system longer.
Neither one of them should be comfortable, however. Cam Newton is the hottest free agent on the market and the Cowboys are expected to take a look at him and do their due diligence. These two could be competing for the QB3 spot if Newton signs in Dallas.