The Cowboys have added a quarterback to their roster.
Dallas claimed Will Grier, a 2019 third-round draft selection by the Panthers, off waivers on Wednesday. The move came after Dallas cut two quarterbacks Tuesday: veteran journeyman Garrett Gilbert and 2020 seventh-rounder Ben DiNucci, the latter rejoining the team’s practice squad Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the move told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss personnel moves that were not yet official.
Cooper Rush remained on the roster as Dak Prescott’s presumed backup—a role Rush held while with the Cowboys from 2017-19.
The Cowboys valued Rush’s familiarity with coordinator Kellen Moore’s scheme, an emphasis that could still secure his spot as their second quarterback for the team’s Sept. 9 season opener at Tampa Bay. Grier arrives bringing a history with quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier, who coordinated Florida’s offense when Grier was on the roster in 2015. Grier played for West Virginia and the Panthers afterward; Nussmeier joined the Cowboys in 2018.
Grier started two games for the Panthers in 2019, both losses. He completed 28 of 52 pass attempts with no touchdowns and four interceptions during that stretch.
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Rush has little on-field experience, his NFL career spanning just 26 total snaps. He completed one of three pass attempts for 2 total yards from 2017-19. He rushed twice for 13 yards in what amounted to garbage-time action. Still, he said Sunday, he believes he could lead the Cowboys if called upon.
“I feel like I can go in there and we cannot miss a beat schematically and run our stuff,” Rush said. “That’s the job as a backup and that’s what you try to do.”
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday morning that he agrees.
“You got to assume with his knowledge of what we’re doing offensively, what we’re doing with the existing personnel that we’re going to be opening with, you got to assume you got a pretty high bar here in terms of what’s the most effective way to play if you didn’t have Dak now,” Jones said on Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan. “It’s a high bar when you got the background in it that Cooper’s got. So, we’ll see how that goes. Obviously this waiver wire, comments on who’s waived, your interest, where are you going to be, those are highly competitive.”
“The big thing is (that) the team feels good when he’s in the huddle. All of that is alive and well with Cooper.”
Follow USA TOAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.
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