Getty Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott practices before an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys are undefeated with backup quarterback Cooper Rush, but the team is still eagerly waiting for the return of star QB Dak Prescott.
Prescott suffered a fractured thumb back in Week 1 of the 2022 season and has yet to make his return. While recovery timelines were initially as short as four weeks, Prescott apparently still needs more time to get back up to speed.
A new update from NFL media insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero states that Prescott will likely miss Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“The Cowboys aren’t ruling out Dak Prescott for next week’s game at Philadelphia,” the duo’s article reads. “But the quarterback is still regaining grip strength and would need to make significant strides to be ready to return from his fractured right thumb, per sources.”
October 10 will be the four-week mark after Prescott’s surgery, and the team and fans were hoping that the quarterback could maybe return for the October 9 clash against the Los Angeles Rams.
Now, it seems as if Prescott’s most likely return will on October 23 against the Detroit Lions.
Prescott and Dallas Will Know More on Tuesday
Each week since Prescott’s injury has been a bit of a journey. Much of the focus around the team centers around if the quarterback can play, but fans and the team can’t really know his chances until mid-week.
Rapoport and Pelissero say is the case again this week, as the quarterback has an appointment with a doctor on Tuesday.
“Prescott underwent surgery on Sept. 12 and was given a return timeline of four to six weeks,” the article reads. “Monday marks four weeks since the surgery; Prescott has another doctor’s appointment scheduled for Tuesday to evaluate his progress and determine what more he can do on the field.”
While Tuesday could bring positive, unexpected news, it could also show that Prescott is even further away from being ready to step back into the team.
There’s no hurry with how Rush is playing, but getting Prescott back is still a top priority for the Cowboys.
Rams Send Cowboys QB Warning for Sunday
Heading to the defending Super Bowl champs with a backup QB is typically a tough order, but the Cowboys are undefeated with Rush, and the Rams are reeling from a bad loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
However, that isn’t scaring Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner. He doesn’t care if Rush is the hot hand in Dallas, stating that he is confident in Los Angeles’ pass rush ahead of the Week 5 contest.
“Just because a guy has been good against the blitz so far doesn’t mean he’ll be good on Sunday,” Wagner said on October 5. “We do our blitzes different and things of that nature. He’s done a really good job picking up where the blitz is coming from. He’s an older guy, he’s been in the league a little bit so he can recognize some of those blitzes. You never want to stay away from running those things. You just be smart when you use them and how you use them.”
Rush has been sacked just four times since stepping in for Prescott, while the Rams pass rush has generated 16 sacks in the team’s first four games.