Former Highly Touted Cowboys QB Poached By Chargers: Report

Getty Former Cowboys QB Will Grier is signing with the Chargers.

A former Dallas Cowboys quarterback has found a new home.

Will Grier — who is best known for his two-year stint with the Cowboys during the 2021 and 2022 seasons — is being signed by the Los Angeles Chargers from the New England Patriots‘ practice squad. The move comes days after it was announced that starting quarterback Justin Herbert would miss the remainder of the season due to an injury.

Via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network:

“The #Chargers signed QB Will Grier off the #Patriots’ practice squad, per source,” wrote Pelissero on Monday, December 18. “The first significant move by interim GM JoJo Wooden.”

Will Grier Spent Past 2 Seasons as Cowboys’ Backup Quarterback

The former third-round draft pick had been a member of the Patriots since he was signed off of the Cincinnati Bengals‘ practice squad back in September. However, despite New England going through offensive struggles and eventually replacing starter Mac Jones, Grier never took a single snap for the Patriots. Instead, Bailey Zappe has started three games for the Patriots.

While Grier spent two seasons in Dallas as a backup, he never appeared in a single game with the team. He technically was a member of the Cowboys’ roster through training camp and the preseason this year. However, he was cut once Dallas acquired Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers via trade as part of final roster cuts.

In his final preseason game with the Cowboys, Grier threw for 305 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a 31-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in the preseason finale.

Since entering the NFL back in 2019, Grier has seen very little action during his career. He actually hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since his rookie season, when he started two games for the Carolina Panthers. During those two games, Grier went 0-2 and threw zero touchdowns against four interceptions for a 53.8% completion rate and 33.2 passer rating.

Grier — who spent time at the University of Florida and West Virginia — had a sensational final season in college where he threw 37 touchdowns against eight interceptions while being named a second-team All-Big 12 selection. He was actually projected by Pro Football Focus’ Michael Renner to be a first-round draft pick back in 2019 by the Patriots. However, he ended up slipping in the draft all the way to the 100th overall pick.

Although the Chargers are playing for nothing at a record of 5-9, that could aid Grier’s case in playing before the end of the season. Los Angeles lost 63-21 to the Raiders in Easton Stick’s first career start. If the Chargers struggle at any point over the course of their remaining three games, Los Angeles could give Grier an opportunity to play.

Jerry Jones Opens up on Eagles’ Upset Loss to Seahawks

The Cowboys are back on top of the NFC East — for now.

Following the Philadelphia Eagles‘ 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, both the Cowboys and the Eagles are 10-4. By virtue of tiebreaker, Dallas is considered the top team in the division.

Team owner Jerry Jones commented on the Eagles’ close loss to the Seahawks, which saw Seattle quarterback Drew Lock throw the game-winning touchdown pass with 28 seconds remaining.

“It was marvelous,” Jones told Shan & RJ on Audacy’s 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday (h/t ESPN’s Todd Archer). “I watched every bit of it. I thought I was about to doze then when they made those two exciting plays I couldn’t sleep until four in the morning because of the impact it can have in our year.”

While the Cowboys are technically the second seed entering Week 16, the Eagles would likely win the tiebreaker if both teams end up winning their remaining three games, according to Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News.

“Eagles would then likely own tiebreaker for strength of victory, although it’s not mathematically impossible today for the Cowboys to overtake them,” writes Gehlken. “Realistically, Dallas must overcome a tougher rest-of-season schedule to make up a game in the final three weeks in order to win the NFC East.”

In other words, if Dallas wants to the win the NFC and host a home playoff game, they’ll have to hope for the Eagles to lose at least one more game.