Bengals sign Cowboys QB Will Grier after Mike McCarthy talked of bringing him back

Will Grier, the one-time Cowboys quarterback, agreed to sign with the Bengals, hours after Dallas waived him to make room for Trey Lance.

And if the Cowboys had their way, they would’ve wanted to re-sign Grier to the practice squad. That’s according to Dallas coach Mike McCarty, who met with the media after his team cut to the mandated 53-man roster.

“I hope so,” McCarthy said of the possibility of signing Will Grier again. “I’d be all for it. We’ve just got to look at these other numbers [though]. We have some positions that are not a normal number. 

“But, yes, if Will Grier gets picked up on a 53-man roster, he deserves it, but I’d love to have him back as the fourth quarterback. I think four quarterbacks in an NFL organization makes way too much sense. How you get that done sometimes [however] is a challenge.”

Because Grier is considered a vested veteran, he didn’t need to clear waivers before he could sign with a team. So he agreed to go with the Bengals almost immediately. Word broke of his signing early Wednesday morning. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news.

Former Cowboys’ QB Will Grier — who threw for 305 yards and ran for 45 more in his final game with Dallas — is signing with the Bengals’ practice squad, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2023

Depending on Joe Burrow’s calf, Will Grier could be 2nd team

The Bengals quarterback spot is intriguing. Joe Burrow missed almost all of training camp after straining his camp during the second day of practice. When the Bengals opened preseason play, cameras spotted Burrow doing some running. But coach Zac Taylor was vague, Tuesday, when reporters asked him if Burrow would be back at practice this week.

He gave a “we’ll see.” And he also denied the speculation that Burrow is missing practice time because of a contract dispute. The Bengals and Burrow were expected to announce a huge, new contract, beating the one signed by Justin Herbert. But then Burrow strained his calf.

And as for that calf, Taylor only would say of Burrow “I think he has a very healthy body. And I’m encouraged by that.”

So that brings us back to Will Grier. If Burrow can’t go against the Browns in the season opener at Cleveland, Sept. 10, then Taylor would opt for backup Jake Browning, a former Washington Huskies star who signed with the Bengals in 2021. Taylor only kept two quarterbacks on the roster before signing Grier. So there’s a chance Grier comes in as a second teamer.

The Cowboys traded for Lance hours before their final preseason game against the Raiders. Grier already was scheduled to play the entire game. And he used it to show off his skills. He completed 29 of his 35 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 10 times for 55 yards. It was the perfect sort of preseason outing to entice other teams to call.

The Panthers selected Grier, the former West Virginia star, in the third round of the 2019 draft. He spent two years in Carolina, then signed with the Cowboys.