Getty Dallas Cowboys
Yes, the Dallas Cowboys plan to punt the ball this season, and have brought back their hand-chosen man for the job.
As expected, four days after releasing Bryan Anger at final cuts, Dallas re-signed the 11th-year punter to the 53-man roster, the team announced Sunday.
In corresponding roster moves, Dallas placed starting right guard Zack Martin and backup offensive tackle Brandon Knight on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, ruling out both players for Thursday’s regular-season opener at Tampa Bay. The club also activated starting left guard Connor Williams from the COVID list.
Anger was pink-slipped Wednesday, following quarterback Will Grier’s addition to the active roster, with the expectation that he would return in short order. Because he’s a vested veteran, the former Texan did not have to pass through waivers.
“Cowboys to re-sign Bryan Anger in coming days; he was released as procedural move to help team build 53-man roster,” the Dallas Morning News reported Sept. 3. “In interim, LS Jake McQuaide is long snapping to K Greg Zuerlein. Zuerlein not doing any actual punting; he hasn’t since high school. Anger is Zuerlein’s holder.”
The latest Dallas Cowboys news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Cowboys newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Cowboys Newsletter!
Refresher on Anger
A 2012 third-round draft selection (one pick before Russell Wilson), the California alum is on his fourth NFL team after joining the Cowboys in April. He was signed as the replacement for Chris Jones and competition for Hunter Niswander — both since released.
Anger, 32, has averaged 46.2 yards per punt across 142 career boots. His best season came in Jacksonville in 2014 when he logged a personal-best 47.5 YPP. Anger posted 46.4 YPP across all 16 games with Houston last year.
“We’ve given Bryan some first cracks at it with the first team because of just my evaluation of Bryan over the last nine years in the league as a punter, which he has been really good,” Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel said last month, per CBS Sports.
Follow the Heavy on Cowboys Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!
QB Jersey Number Changes
In other housekeeping, Grier and practice-squad QB Ben DiNucci recently switched jersey numbers for the upcoming campaign. Grier, who wore No. 7 with the Carolina Panthers, will don No. 15 in Dallas. He becomes the 11th player in franchise history to rock those digits.
“Going through the quarterback position, Will, we thought was the best prospect out there,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said of Grier, via USA Today. “Obviously remember him when he came out of West Virginia. (Quarterbacks coach) Doug (Nussmeier) actually coached him at Florida for a year. So (we) had a chance to study him when he was at Carolina two years ago and felt like through the personnel department and coaching staff, we had really good information on him and thought he’d be a great fit for us.”
DiNucci, waived at final cuts and brought back to the practice team, has moved from No. 7 (now owned by cornerback Trevon Diggs) to No. 3, the number previously occupied by former QB Garrett Gilbert.
READ NEXT: Jerry Jones Breaks Silence on Cam Newton Signing ‘Decision’
Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL
Comments