Will Grier
Getty
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Will Grier.
The Dallas Cowboys are trying to improve across the board in 2026 — even if that means in what seem like meaningless backup roles.
Just 2 days after signing a former 17-game starter to compete to be quarterback Dak Prescott‘s backup in Sam Howell, the Cowboys parted ways with another quarterback, veteran Will Grier.
The Cowboys quarterback room is now Prescott, Howell and Joe Milton.
“The Cowboys are back down to 3 QBs with the release ofWill Grier,” NFL reporter Tom Downey wrote on his official X account on Thursday.
Grier, 30 years old, spent 4 seasons with the Cowboys in 2 separate stints in 2021 and 2022 then 2024 and 2025.
“With the addition of Sam Howell, the Cowboys releasedWill Grier,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote on X. “He spent last year on the practice squad and was re-signed to a futures deal in January. Back to three QBs on the roster.”
Will Grier Seemed Like Trade Bait in 2025
The Cowboys may have been able to part ways with Grier in exchange for a draft pick at some point last season, and Bleacher Report’s Mo Moton predicted that might happen before the trade deadline.
“In April, the Dallas Cowboys acquired big-armed Joe Milton III from the New England Patriots, which means Will Grier could fall to third on their quarterback depth chart,” Moton wrote on August 9. ” … Grier has put together solid preseason outings in recent years. Now, he can showcase himself to draw interest from other teams that see him as a No. 2 quarterback.”
From Big 12 Star to NFL Journeyman QB
Grier set the national high school record with 837 passing yards in a single game as a senior at Davidson Day School in Davidson, North Carolina, before starting his college career at Florida.
Grier, 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, started as a redshirt freshman at Florida before he was suspended for one season for using performance-enhancing drugs. He transferred to West Virginia, where he was the starter for 2 years. Grier was named Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2017 and All-Big 12 in 2018 after he threw for 3,864 yards, 38 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
Grier was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round (No. 100 overall) of the 2019 NFL draft. He spent 2 seasons with the Panthers, 2 seasons with the Cowboys in 2021 and 2022 before spending time with the Los Angeles Chargers, Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles over the last 2 years.
Grier made his only 2 career starts as a rookie in 2019, going 0-2 with 228 passing yards, no touchdowns and 4 interceptions.
Dallas Cowboys Traded for Quarterback in 2025
The Cowboys made somewhat of a surprising move to trade for Milton, who was a late round pick by the Patriots in 2024.
He won his 1 start as a rookie in a meaningless regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills — a game in which the playoff-bound Bills weren’t playing their starter and winning cost the Patriots the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
It was also the end of the road for Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo, who was fired after 1 season and replaced with Mike Vrabel, who led the Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance.