Cowboys make strategic move by cutting both backup quarterbacks
One of the big storylines for Tuesday was finding out who the Dallas Cowboys would choose as their backup quarterback. The battle was between Ben DiNucci, Will Grier, and Cooper Rush, with Grier and Rush being clear leaders. Many assumed one of the three would be kept on the roster as the sure-fire QB2 to Dak Prescott.
Instead, all three ended up being waived or released. DiNucci wasn’t the biggest surprise as he was cut on Monday.
However, many thought the team decided that Rush was the QB2 when Grier got waived Tuesday morning. Minutes later, ESPN’s Todd Archer revealed that Rush was being released, too, leaving the team with Dak Prescott as the only QB currently on the 53-man roster.
This is obviously all a part of roster manipulation as the team works to get things finalized before the 3 pm CT deadline. The thought is that Rush will return to the team as he does not have to go through waivers. Grier does have the chance to be picked up by another NFL team, and if he doesn’t, he will likely join the Cowboys’ practice squad.
The Cowboys are keeping one QB on the 53-man roster for the time being: Dak Prescott. Cooper Rush and Will Grier have been released, according to sources. Rush does not go through waivers; Grier does. Likely both will be back in some form – PS or active - to serve as backup.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 30, 2022
Dallas Cowboys end up releasing both backup QB options Will Grier and Cooper Rush
While it’s “risky” to let both of your backups go to fill up roster space, this is par for the course. Franchises use today’s roster deadline to prioritize players they feel wouldn’t make it through waivers. The Cowboys simply believe the quarterback spot is a place to do that, and they feel confident that they can get at least one of these guys back after today’s cutdowns.
A similar manipulative move happened with kicker Brett Maher when the team chose to waive him Tuesday morning. The team technically doesn’t have a kicker on the 53-man roster right now, but the thought is that no one will pick him up and the team currently needs to make space for IR moves. The front office fully expects Maher to be the Week 1 kicker.
Grier has been working through a groin injury in the preseason but has shown his ability to be a mobile quarterback who can get the job done. He was a former third-round pick by the Carolina Panthers, and Dallas claimed him off of waivers last year. He hasn’t played in a regular-season game since his rookie year in 2019.
Rush, on the other hand, has much more experience in the system. He’s thrown for 424 yards and three touchdowns for the Cowboys. Many know him for the monumental win he was able to pull out against the Minnesota Vikings last season in Prescott’s absence.
The hope, of course, is that Prescott stays healthy enough for none of this to matter. But, for now, the QB1 is the only QB on the roster.
