The NFL offseason is the perfect time for fans to check in and see what some of their favorite franchise's former players are up to.
Carolina Panthers fans aren't excluded from keeping up to date with familiar faces, especially with free agency right around the corner. Several ex-Panthers will be hitting the open market next month, including former quarterback Will Grier, who just spent the 2024 season split between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles practice squads.
Although it'll be a few weeks (at the earliest) before Grier finds his next home, it looks like there's a decent chance he'll be returning to the NFC South this offseason.
Panthers News: Will Grier Could Follow Scott Tolzien to Saints
After the New Orleans Saints hired head coach Kellen Moore following Super Bowl 59, it didn't take long for the NFC South franchise to hire Scott Tolzien as the new quarterbacks coach. Moore and Tolzien worked for the Cowboys as the offensive coordinator and coaching assistant, respectively, from 2020 to 2022.
The #Saints are hiring Scott Tolzien as their new QBs coach under Kellen Moore, sources say, as Tolzien and Moore reunite after both being on the #Cowboys coaching staff.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 18, 2025
A former NFL QB, Tolzien is now a rising young coach and a key hire for New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/lL1T7yQIXX
So, how does Tolzien's hiring put Grier on track for a potential NFC South return? It's simple: it furthers the former Panthers QB's connection with the Saints' new coaching staff.
After all, Moore and Tolzien were both with the Cowboys during Grier's first stint in Dallas (2021-22). Moore even liked the ex-West Virginia signal-caller so much that he even brought him on to the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad when the former was their OC during the 2023 campaign.
Grier then followed Moore to Philadelphia when the latter was hired as the Eagles OC last offseason. The Davidson, NC native's run in the City of Brotherly Love lasted until he was released in November only to re-join the Cowboys and be reunited with Tolzien less than a week later.
So yeah, Grier following the coaching duo to New Orleans would be far from surprising.
As it stands, the Saints currently have four quarterbacks under contract in 2025, according to Spotrac. Derek Carr and Spencer Rattler are the likely QB1 and QB2, respectively, meaning Grier would be competing against Jake Haener and Ben DiNucci for the third-string job.
It'll be interesting to see if Grier sees playing time wherever he goes. The former third-rounder hasn't played a regular-season game since he was a rookie, which is when he completed 53.8% of passes for 228 passing yards, four interceptions, and a 33.2 passer rating in two appearances in 2019.
Panthers fans will have a better idea about Grier's potential NFC South return when the 2025 NFL free agency period officially begins on Wednesday, March 12.