FRISCO, Texas — The depth at the quarterback position was in the spotlight last season when Dak Prescott went down for five games at the start of the season, but the job was handled with Cooper Rush awaiting the opportunity.
Had Rush gone down, Will Grier was the next man up, and with that experience to be ready at any moment under his belt, Grier feels he has a better understanding of the position and the offense in Dallas as a result.
"Dak, Coop, really smart guys," Grier said. "They know the game really well. In my time here, I've learned a lot and developed a lot. I'm just fighting to be the best version of me that I can be and to be ready for an opportunity. We saw 65 guys play last year and you never know when you become one of those guys, so I'm just gonna be ready for anything if I get an opportunity."
The potential opportunities for Grier expanded this week when the NFL owners voted on a provision to allow a third quarterback to be available on a game-day roster in the event that the top two quarterbacks go down with injury, a rule that has not been available to teams in the past.
"I mean, I love it," Grier said. "I think it's smart. Quarterback is a different position. A guy can't just jump in and play quarterback. In this league, I think you need three guys that can play."
"I think the rule is smart and everybody agrees after what we saw last year that you need that. Whether that guy is on the practice squad or on the roster with this rule enacted, that guy has to be ready to play."
Grier had built a lot of momentum in training camp last season and was in a legitimate battle with Rush for the backup quarterback job before he suffered a groin injury that set him back and eventually locked him in as the third-string option.
"I built a lot of momentum through camp last year, but I feel like I'm way ahead of where I was last year at this time, mentally and physically," he said. "I was dealing with stuff last year going into camp, but I was still able to build some momentum. I just gotta build off that and continue to master the offense."
Mastering the offense seems to be the theme with Grier at this point in his career, and it's something that he's been able to do with the help of Prescott and Rush throughout his time in Dallas. Going forward, he's looking at maintaining the progression in hopes of an opportunity presenting itself one day.
"Dak and Cooper have been here so long, the offense is second-nature to those guys," he said. "I've always been playing catch-up to know it as well as they know it and just process as fast as possible. I feel good, I feel healthy. I'm spinning the ball really well, moving well. Need to get to the highest level of mastery that I can."
