Dallas Cowboys re-sign quarterback to practice squad

The Dallas Cowboys have re-signed quarterback Ben DiNucci to the practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The move comes one day after the team placed DiNucci on waivers to reach the 53-man roster limit for the regular season.

The Cowboys kept just two quarterbacks on the roster, starting quarterback Dak Prescott and backup Cooper Rush.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The FAN that “Cooper Rush’s consistency and familiarity with the offense led to the Cowboys keeping him over Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci.”

The team also added former Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Will Grier off the waiver wire today, giving the Cowboys three active quarterbacks with a week left before the start of the season.

More about Ben DiNucci

Ben DiNucci was a seventh-round draft pick out of James Madison University in 2020 and ended up starting one game as a rookie. Injuries to Prescott and backup Andy Dalton led to DiNucci seeing more time than expected.

DiNucci completed 23 passes for 219 yards over three games in his rookie season last year.

He ranks top-10 all-time at James Madison in five statistical categories including completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns. Prior to going to James Madison, DiNucci spent three seasons at Pitt where he had 1,107 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Other transactions

In addition to waving Ben DiNucci before re-signing him to the practice squad, the Cowboys waved Garrett Gilbert yesterday. Gilbert was a sixth-round pick out of SMU in 2014. He spent three years at Texas (his first as Colt McCoy’s backup) prior to transferring to play for the Mustangs. He started during the 2010 season and was benched for Case McCoy and David Ash in early 2011 just prior to transferring to SMU.

In the NFL Gilbert had 283 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception. The touchdown, interception and 243 yards were with Dallas. The additional 40 yards came with Carolina in 2018. He has played for seven NFL teams.

Despite waiving running back JaQuan Hardy ahead of yesterday’s deadline, the Cowboys plan to bring him back as a practice squad member, per the Dallas Morning News’ Michal Gehlken.

With established running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard both fully healthy, the team opted to only keep two running backs on the active roster but retains the right to pull Hardy up for games if needed under the NFL’s loosened practice squad rules in 2021.

Gehlken also reports the Cowboys will add rookie fullback Nick Ralston and veteran safety Darian Thompson will join the practice squad.

Pelissero adds that the Cowboys also plan to bring back defensive back Kyron Brown to the practice squad.