Cowboys’ Jerry Jones: Dak Prescott Will Be Back from Thumb Injury ‘Sooner Than Later’ | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

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To hear Dallas Cowboys general manager Jerry Jones tell it, quarterback Dak Prescott may be back from his broken thumb as soon as a Week 4 game against the Washington Commanders.

Jones addressed the quarterback’s status during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan:

“I don’t know that anybody knows [when he’ll be back]. But when he [gets enough strength in his hand], then you’ll probably see some real advancement in his timeline. I don’t know when that is but I do know that with a good airing out last week, everybody recognizes that he’ll be back sooner than later as far as the timeline. It really could be a minimum of two weeks up here in my mind [Washington in Week 4]. Now, that’s very optimistic. But he’s got the kind of repair there that will allow him to not have a lot of fear of re-injuring it. It’s just a question of the grip.”

There has been no shortage of optimism from Jones when it comes to Prescott’s status, but he isn’t the only one who suggested the Washington game as a potential return date.

Executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that the Mississippi State product could come back by Week 4 at “the very best” even while pointing out there is still some uncertainty following the surgery he underwent for the injury he suffered during a Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Dallas decided not to put Prescott on injured reserve even though ESPN’s Todd Archer reported the initial timeline was expected to be six to eight weeks.

While Prescott is a two-time Pro Bowler who threw for 4,449 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last year, the Cowboys at least have a solid insurance policy in Cooper Rush. Rush won his only start last season against the Minnesota Vikings and led the team to a 20-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2.

He went 19-of-31 passing for 235 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions, directing touchdown drives on each of the team’s first two possessions and moving them into field-goal range in crunch time after Cincinnati came back to tie it.

Brett Maher made the 50-yard field goal as time expired, putting the Cowboys into the win column for the first time this season.

Dallas will ask Rush to do the same at least one more time during a Week 3 game against the New York Giants before Prescott may be ready to return.