Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Cowboys Announce Quarterback Move After Missing NFL Playoffs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Feb 2, 2026 5:55 PM ET

Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys were in the thick of the NFL playoff race entering December with a 6-5-1 record. However, Dallas closed the 2025 season by losing four of its final five games, finishing 7-9-1 and missing the postseason for a second consecutive year.

While the Dallas defense struggled under coordinator Matt Eberflus, Prescott helped lead one of the NFL’s top offenses. The former Mississippi State quarterback completed 404-of-600 passes for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Still, as the offseason began, the Cowboys made a decision involving a different quarterback.

Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Will GrierKevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Will Grier, following a successful college career at West Virginia, was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons in Charlotte, appearing in two games and completing 28-of-52 passes for 228 yards and four interceptions.

After being released by Carolina before the 2021 season, Grier spent the next few years bouncing around the NFL, including a two-year stint in Dallas from 2021 to 2022. In November 2024, he rejoined the Cowboys and has remained on the practice squad since, without appearing in a regular-season game.

And while Prescott still has three years remaining on his four-year, $240 million deal, Jerry Jones has elected to solidify his team’s quarterback depth by signing Grier to a reserve/future contract on Monday.

"The @dallascowboys signed QB Will Grier to a Reserve/Future contract on Monday," Dallas Cowboys Public Relations wrote on X.

The @dallascowboys signed QB Will Grier to a Reserve/Future contract on Monday.
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) February 2, 2026

Jones and the Cowboys will now turn their attention to the offseason as they look to return to the playoffs in the 2026 NFL season. Free agency begins March 11, followed by the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23, when Dallas will pick No. 12 overall.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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