Cooper Rush is now 3-0 as a starter, adding back-to-back 2022 victories to a ledger that included an upset win in Minnesota last season. While Jerry Jones has talked up his backup since Dak Prescott‘s injury, Mike McCarthy slammed the door on the veteran QB2 keeping the gig once Prescott returns. That window is approaching.
Since Prescott is not on IR, he could come back Sunday against the Commanders. Although Prescott told ESPN’s Lisa Salters on Monday he was not ruling that out, the seventh-year veteran said he “probably” will not be ready in time. But Prescott added he is targeting the Cowboys’ Week 5 matchup against the Rams for his return, via Lorenzo Reyes of USA Today.
Prescott had the stitch removed from his surgically repaired thumb Monday, Reyes adds, with ESPN.com’s Todd Archer noting the Pro Bowl passer is improving his grip strength as he ramps up toward retaking the reins for the Cowboys.
Equipped with a much better defense than the one that surrendered a franchise-record point total in 2020, the Cowboys are in superior shape than they were when Prescott last missed a chunk of a season. Michael Gallup will likely be back when Prescott returns after the fifth-year wideout practiced ahead of the Giants game but was held out for precautionary reasons.
Rush, albeit in a small sample size, ranks sixth in QBR after helping the Cowboys to wins over the Bengals and Giants. The sixth-year backup’s improvement will give Prescott time to recover, without the starter needing to be rushed back. But it will be interesting how the Cowboys play it if Dak deems himself ready ahead of their Rams tilt. The Cowboys face the Eagles in Philadelphia the following week.
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