Report: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott could return for matchup against Philadelphia Eagles

Everything about the Dallas Cowboys and their prospects for this season changed late Sunday night when it was announced that quarterback Dak Prescott is slated to miss some time with a fractured thumb. Just how much time Dak misses is the biggest question encircling the team. Most opinions from medical professionals seem to believe it will be somewhere between 6-8 weeks, but Jerry Jones noted this week that surgery on Prescott’s thumb went well and it isn’t impossible for him to return in about a month.

The next few weeks will likely feature plenty of reports about Prescott’s progress, and the party has already started in that sense. Thursday night, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said that it is possible for Dak to return when the Cowboys visit the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6.

Rapoport notes that from his understanding there is an “outside chance” Prescott can return for the Week 6 matchup against the Eagles (which is on Sunday Night Football by the way), “maybe Week 7”, and “potentially” by Week 8.

He notes that there was a lot of optimism from the Cowboys following Dak’s surgery, but if his understanding is that there is an “outside chance” for Dak to return in Week 6 then Jerry’s note about how it could be four weeks continues to feel less likely.

It would be fortunate timing for Dak to return to a Cowboys team on the road in Philadelphia. What happens next between the two teams that were favorites in the NFC East will play a huge role in the drama as well.

• Cowboys (0-1): Bengals, at Giants, Commanders, at Rams
• Eagles (1-0): Vikings, at Commanders, Jaguars, at Cardinals

On paper the Cowboys are facing a tougher four-game stretch than the Eagles by going up against both teams who played in the Super Bowl last year and two divisional matchups sandwiched in between. The Eagles have to play Washington as well and the Vikings look good, but outside of that they get the lowly Jaguars (who Dallas will see later this season) and a Cardinals team that is pretty questionable.

Hopefully Dak can return as soon as possible, but the most important thing is that he is ready when he returns, whenever that is.