Cowboys QB Andy Dalton clears concussion protocol, returns to practice

The bye week was what Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton needed to get right. 

Per Todd Archer of ESPN, Dallas coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that Dalton cleared concussion protocol and participated in Monday's practice sessions. 

The former Cincinnati Bengals starter who took over for Dak Prescott after Prescott was lost for the season on Oct. 11 suffered the head injury when he was blasted by Washington Football Team linebacker Jon Bostic during a game played on Oct. 25 and hasn't taken the field since.

Bostic was ejected from that contest and subsequently fined $12,000. 

Dallas then placed Dalton on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Nov. 3. The Cowboys have been idle since losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 8. 

"We've got to get through the whole week of practice," McCarthy said of Dalton's availability for this coming Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. "He hasn't been involved in a couple of weeks now. He looked good today, so we'll take it one day at a time."

It's believed Dalton would start ahead of journeyman Garrett Gilbert, rookie and seventh-round pick Ben DiNucci and unproven commodity Cooper Rush. DiNucci and Gilbert both played during Dalton's absences. 

Dalton has completed 52-of-85 passes for 452 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions this year.

The Cowboys sit at 2-7, have lost four in a row and six of their last seven, and yet remain in the playoff hunt due to the lackluster state of the NFC East. The New York Giants, who lost to Dallas on Oct. 11, improved to 3-7 on the year with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Philadelphia sits atop the division standings at 3-5-1. 

Washington is also 2-7.