Heading into the offseason, Dallas Cowboys fans wondered what the team would do at the backup quarterback spot.
Would the Cowboys re-sign either Cooper Rush or Trey Lance? Would they draft a QB? Or will they have Will Grier compete with another vet for the QB2 spot? Grier re-joined Dallas late last season after the Philadelphia Eagles released him.
The Cowboys signed Grier to the practice squad on November 12 and then elevated him to the active roster on January 4. Dallas reportedly extended his contract after the regular season ended. The 30-year-old didn’t appear in any games last season, but has the experience to warrant being in consideration for QB2.
New Cowboys QB Joe Milton Has Already Stolen the Show in Dallas
Well, the Cowboys had other plans for the QB2 spot that didn’t involve Grier. Dallas decided to trade for second-year QB Joe Milton from the New England Patriots in early April, shutting down the idea of Dallas drafting a young signal-caller.
Milton was the QB2 last year in New England and didn’t play much until the Patriots’ Week 18 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The young QB showed a ton of flashes in that game, which likely led to Dallas inquiring about the former sixth-round pick.
Fast forward to OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and the former Patriots QB has already made a good impression on the Cowboys’ coaches.
The former University of Tennessee quarterback has a ton of talent, but he needs to continue developing and refining his skills. Milton has a cannon for an arm and the mobility to make plays out of the pocket.
If you are a Cowboys fan, this is exactly what you want from your QB2. However, if you’re in Grier’s shoes, you likely don’t stand a chance at winning the backup job.
Even though he has a lot of NFL experience, Grier doesn’t possess the same physical skills as Milton. Grier is one of the better QB3s, especially if things go south with your top two QBs, but the Cowboys likely want to spend a lot of time pouring into Milton and see if they can continue to tap into the untapped potential.