The Cowboys are unlikely to have Dak Prescott under center in week 5. He will be just four weeks removed from surgery on his fractured thumb, so it isn’t a surprise that he isn’t ready yet. Jerry Jones was a bit delusional for thinking he could be ready to go less than a month after surgery.
So where does Dak Prescott stand? He had his stitches removed last week, which means he can ramp up his activity level. That fracture his still healing, and there is going to be lingering stiffness and weakness to the joint. We initially said that Dak wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) return before 6 weeks, and realistically it will take 8-10 for the thumb to fully heal. This expected timeline hasn’t changed. The thumb is crucial for gripping the football. If Dak can’t properly grip the football, he isn’t going to be able to deliver accurate passes and ball security will be an issue. Prescott needs a few more weeks before he is ready.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday: “I definitely want to see Dak go through a full week of prep before he plays. I mean, we’re not talking about being out one week here or two. This is going to be a month. . . . We’ve got four seven-day runs here, so I think that will time up.”
The Cowboys are doing just fine with Cooper Rush under center, winning all three games he has started. Rush has thrown for 737 yards (60.8% completion), 4 TDs and 0 interceptions.
