Jerry Jones thinks we could see Dak Prescott back in four weeks' time.
Mike McCarthy isn’t ruling that out, but he also isn't setting any firm expectations.
Prescott underwent surgery on his right thumb this week after fracturing it late in Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although the initial estimate was a 6-to-8-week recovery, it later was revealed that 4-to-6 weeks was the expectation.
Jones on Tuesday went on “Shan and RJ” and made it sound as though a return after four games out could be on the table.
“If we thought he wasn’t going to be ready to go for four games, after four games, we would be putting him on injured reserve. We’re not doing that. We think he can come in and play,” Jones said. “We feel very good after surgery, after listening to the medical people that Dak has a real chance to be back out there throwing the ball pretty quick."
It’s obviously promising that the Dallas Cowboys quarterback will avoid IR, but asked Friday during his weekly spot on “Shan and RJ” if he was as optimistic about the four-week timeline as Jones, the head coach sounded skeptical.
“Yeah, to be honest with you I got to see Dak yesterday and what he was able to do – I think we’ll have a better idea going into Week 2 of the injury,” McCarthy said. “You know how the first seven, eight days after surgery, you have to get past the healing stage before you can really crank on it. I’ll let you know next week.”
That’s not ruling it out, but that also doesn’t sound like someone operating under the impression that Prescott definitely will be back after four weeks.
That timeline always seemed like it was going to be ambitious, even if it is possible. The Cowboys’ handling of Michael Gallup’s injury might be a good baseline for the type of caution we might see them take with the quarterback.
In the short term, it will be Cooper Rush at quarterback Sunday against the Bengals.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram