Dak Prescott closes in on return from injury as he throws for first time since thumb surgery

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw passes Wednesday for the first time since undergoing right thumb injury on September 12, but Cooper Rush is expected to retain his starting place for Dallas vs. the Eagles.

Prescott was hurt in Week 1 when his hand hit the hand of Bucs linebacker Shaq Barrett while throwing a pass, and Rush has started every game since.

And while Prescott told reporters he felt ‘great’ following his post-practice throwing session (he did not officially practice with the team), Rush will start again looking to keep his unbeaten record alive.

Dak Prescott threw passes Wednesday for the first time since his September 12 thumb surgery

The backup has filled in impressively for Prescott since he went down, throwing for 775 yards, four touchdowns and most importantly zero interceptions in four starts.

However, coach Mike McCarthy preached patience for the franchise quarterback on Wednesday.

‘You’ve got to trust the medical process,’ McCarthy told reporters.

Cooper Rush has filled in admirably for Prescott, and the team is 4-0 with him under center

‘This is a 17-game season. That was my immediate response. I know Dak didn’t want to hear it, but you’ve got to make sure that he’s right for the long haul, too.’

Though Cowboys owner Jerry Jones opined at one point that Prescott could be out for as little as two weeks, the timeline of four-to-six weeks that was predicted after the quarterback’s surgery now seems far more realistic.

And despite Prescott’s light throwing session, he ‘did not take many snaps from center and did not throw any passes with his right hand’ during the open portion of practice, ESPN wrote.

Prescott said he felt ‘great’ after the light throwing session, but won’t start this week

McCarthy also said that Prescott was ‘still in the medical rehab phase,’ and said he wanted the quarterback to get in a full week of practice before returning to the lineup.

Dallas’ season remains fully intact, perhaps surprisingly, despite the injury to their star quarterback.

The Cowboys sit second in the NFC East with a 4-1 record, and have highly winnable games against the Lions and Bears after this week’s Sunday night test vs. the Eagles.