NFC East

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly aren't expected to make a splashy move at quarterback in the wake of starter Dak Prescott undergoing thumb surgery this week.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, the Cowboys are unlikely to trade for a quarterback like Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers or Mason Rudolph of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they aren't expected to sign a big-name quarterback like Cam Newton either.

Fowler and Graziano noted that the likeliest course of action with Prescott out is for the Cowboys to roll with Cooper Rush as the starter, elevate Will Grier from the practice squad to be the backup and sign a third quarterback to the practice squad.

ESPN's Todd Archer reported Monday that the thumb injury is expected to keep Prescott out for six to eight weeks, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed optimism Tuesday that Dak may only miss four games.

Prescott represents a huge loss for the Cowboys, especially since they don't have a great contingency plan in place.

When Prescott missed 11 games two seasons ago, the Cowboys were able to turn to an established veteran in Andy Dalton as his replacement, but even then, Dallas still went just 6-10 and missed the playoffs.

The team looked completely different last season upon Dak's return, going 11-5 and winning the NFC East. Prescott threw for 4,449 yards and set the Cowboys' single-season record with 37 touchdown passes.

In Rush, the Cowboys are set to go with a 28-year-old journeyman with just one career start to his credit.

Rush's start was fairly impressive, though, as he led the Cowboys to a 20-16 win over the Minnesota Vikings last season and threw for 325 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

That performance may have been enough to prove to head coach Mike McCarthy and the front office that the undrafted Central Michigan product is capable of stepping in for Prescott when called upon, but doing it for multiple weeks in a row is a different challenge.

Dallas has a tough schedule on the horizon with divisional games against the New York Giants and Washington Commanders sandwiched in between games against last season's Super Bowl finalists in the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams.

If Prescott's absence stretches beyond four games, Rush would have to face the NFC East favorite Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6.

Garoppolo, Rudolph and Newton would all give the Cowboys far more starting experience than Rush brings to the table, but it isn't guaranteed that they would actually provide better quarterback play.

Garoppolo was supplanted by Trey Lance in San Francisco, Rudolph is the third quarterback in Pittsburgh behind Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett, and Newton hasn't been an effective NFL quarterback since at least 2018.

Rush may be something of an unknown, but he has been with the team since 2017 and knows the offense well, so he may be better equipped than anyone to step in for Dak for the time being.

The Dallas Cowboys are hopeful star quarterback Dak Prescott could be back sooner than originally thought after injuring his thumb in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on Shan and RJ, via Audacy's 105.3 The Fan, that Prescott will not be placed on injured reserve and that he believes Prescott could be back within four weeks.

The 29-year-old signal-caller underwent thumb surgery Monday, one day after Dallas lost its season opener to the Bucs.

Per ESPN's Todd Archer, sources indicated after the surgery that Prescott would miss six to eight weeks.

The injury was the worst thing that could have happened to the Cowboys as it exposed how little the team did to address the offense in the offseason.

Cedrick Wilson left as a free agent. La'el Collins was released. Amari Cooper wound up with the Cleveland Browns in a trade. Rather than sign any notable free agents, Dallas targeted offensive tackle Tyler Smith, wide receiver Jalen Tolbert and tight end Jake Ferguson in the first four rounds of the draft.

It was a surprising approach for a franchise that was seemingly angling for a Super Bowl.

The Cowboys also failed to address their quarterback depth behind Prescott, opting to stick with journeyman Cooper Rush as the backup.

While the Cowboys have been publicly committed to Rush, they do have options to explore if Prescott is out closer to the six-to-eight-week timeline.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph are both trade candidates, while former Carolina Panthers superstar signal-caller Cam Newton is a free agent.

If a Prescott return in four weeks is a legitimate possibility, however, the Cowboys may be more willing to go with Rush until he comes back.

The Washington Commanders are facing a lawsuit stemming from a railing collapse at FedEx Field last season that caused fans to fall to the ground.

John Keim of ESPN reported four people filed the suit Friday and are seeking "in excess" of $75,000 each and $300,000 total because of "loss of income, medical expenses, pain and suffering."

Keim noted the lawsuit said the plaintiffs suffered cervical strains, muscle strains, bone contusions, cuts, bruises, headaches and "other potential long-term effects, both physical and emotional" that are still requiring treatment.

The railing collapse spread on social media at the time in large part because Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was present at the scene following his team's game against Washington.

He even helped some of the fans who fell to the ground back up on their feet:

This angle of Jalen Hurts and the Eagles fans falling after the railing collapsed at FedEx Field 😧

(🎥 @Trei_Cham) pic.twitter.com/FrtBB3mKjy

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 5, 2022

While Washington said stadium representatives provided medical treatment options, the plaintiffs said that was "patently false."

A team official said the railing was not load-bearing in an area that is designated for disabled people in wheelchairs, but Bob Sokolove, who is a plaintiff's attorney, said stadium employees told the fans they could enter the area after the game and did not warn about the railing.

"It's beyond negligent to skimp on a safety measure in such a high visibility, high trafficked area," Sokolove said. "Whether it's an NCAA game or a pro basketball game or the NFL, everybody comes to the tunnel where the players are coming out. The weight of everyone pushing forward to get a high-five or a wristband or whatever puts even more pressure on what otherwise were pathetic railings."

The lawsuit also said nobody from the team or Contemporary Services Corporation, which provides security at FedEx Field, reached out to determine the severity of any injuries from the railing collapse.

It happened in Week 17 of the season and after the Eagles completed a 20-16 victory.

Hurts threw for 214 yards and helped his team improve to 9-7 before he played a helpful role in the aftermath of the incident.

The Dallas Cowboys lost much more than a season opener Sunday, as ESPN's Todd Archer reported quarterback Dak Prescott is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a right thumb injury he suffered during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"We'll look at those things," head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters Monday when discussing potentially bringing in another quarterback. "We definitely anticipate making some roster moves, maybe by tomorrow."

He also said he has a list of every signal-caller who is purportedly available in the NFL.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on Monday's SportsCenter he believes Dallas will "explore" outside options. He listed San Francisco 49ers backup Jimmy Garoppolo and Pittsburgh Steelers backup Mason Rudolph as potential options.

For now, the Cowboys have Cooper Rush as their internal option.

While Rush did win his only start last season in a game against the Minnesota Vikings, he has attempted just 63 career passes with 13 of them coming in Sunday's game after the result was all but decided.

He isn't exactly an inspiring choice for a team that could still have playoff aspirations with playmakers such as Micah Parsons, CeeDee Lamb and Ezekiel Elliott on the roster.

Dallas is accustomed to playing without Prescott in the recent past considering a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle limited him to just five games in 2020. Yet it went just 4-7 without him and missed the playoffs in its worst finish since the 2015 campaign.

Garoppolo is the type of game manager who predicates his approach on getting the ball into the hands of the talented options around him. He is 33-14 as a starter in his career and is surely on the Cowboys' radar considering he is currently backing up Trey Lance for the 49ers.

Rudolph is less accomplished than Garoppolo but went 5-3 as a starter filling in for Ben Roethlisberger in 2019 and could help keep the team afloat until Prescott is ready to return.

A decision will have to be made fast, though, because the NFC East team faces three division teams and the two squads that were in last season's Super Bowl, the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, in the next five games.

How Dallas performs in that stretch without Prescott will go a long way toward determining how its season will unfold.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons ripped Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette for a chip block in Sunday's Week 1 matchup.

Now go watch the tape! And see what happenned when it was me and him one on one!!! You hit someone not looking you straight pus**y !! Stop hyping this weak as* shit it’s football!! 😂😂 https://t.co/ITprQ4ECRg

— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) September 12, 2022

Fournette, however, seems unremorseful:

https://t.co/aY0u4LT1F0 pic.twitter.com/0WvlkmvaOS

— 7⃣ Leonard Fournette (@_fournette) September 12, 2022

There was no penalty called—nor was one committed—and Parsons did not get hurt on the play, so it's unclear why he was so incensed by the play. Running backs chip pass rushers all the time; they just typically don't do it with as much force or effectiveness as Fournette displayed there.

It's fair to wonder whether the NFL may eventually legislate some of these chip blocks out of the game, simply because there is more potential for a player to get hurt on a blindside hit.

That said, it's all legal in the rulebook now. There's not much for Parsons to do other than gripe about the block on Twitter as Fournette's pancake goes viral.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is expected to miss six to eight weeks after requiring surgery on his right thumb, according to ESPN NFL Nation reporter Todd Archer (via ESPN's Adam Schefter), leaving Cooper Rush as the current starting option for the team.

But the Cowboys may explore other options at the position, as ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on Monday's SportsCenter:

"There aren't a lot of options here, but after asking around, I do expect the Cowboys to at least explore them. They like Rush, but if they can find a clear-cut upgrade, they'll at least tap into it. Now, Jimmy Garoppolo has to be option No. 1 because he's been out there. And I'm told when the 49ers did the reworked deal with Garoppolo, they did so knowing that he can waive that no-trade clause if they find a situation league-wide that benefits him and can net them a draft pick. This is a perfect situation they'd be looking for, so that can be an option. Pittsburgh Steelers also. Mason Rudolph is out there. He's the third-string, but he performed well in the preseason, 5-4-1 as a starter. So he's got some pedigree; third-round pick. And James Washington, a wide receiver in Dallas that should be coming back soon, played with him at Oklahoma State when they connected for all of those touchdowns. So those are two guys that I'm looking for."

The Cowboys are aware of what life without Prescott looks like. When he suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in the 2020 season, the Cowboys went just 4-7 down the stretch without him and finished 6-10 on the season, missing the playoffs.

Prescott won't be sidelined for the remainder of the 2022 season, by all accounts, but a poor record in his absences could dig the Cowboys into a hole they can't escape. All three of their NFC East rivals opened the season with a win, while the Cowboys started their campaign with a 19-3 loss to Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The schedule isn't about to get any easier. Ahead of the team's Week 9 bye, Dallas faces the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals at home, followed by the New York Giants (road), Washington Commanders (home), defending champion Los Angeles Rams (road), Philadelphia Eagles (road), Detroit Lions (home) and Chicago Bears (home).

Two games against Super Bowl teams and three divisional matchups is a tough ask for Rush, who has started exactly one NFL game in his career and has thrown for a total of 488 yards, three touchdowns and a pick.

"Just go do your job," Rush told reporters after Sunday's loss. "Just execute. It's the same plays, it's the same other guys, we've still got everyone else. I trust in those guys, they trust in me, just all come together as a group and make plays and execute."

The question is whether the Cowboys can afford to take their chances with Rush, especially when a player like Garoppolo or Rudolph would offer far more experience.

Should the Cowboys be thinking about Jimmy Garoppolo? 🤔

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2022

Jimmy Garoppolo taking over the Cowboys and winning in Dak's absence is take show heaven https://t.co/Nt9SwxFu0p

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) September 12, 2022

Are the Cowboys a potential trade destination for Jimmy Garoppolo? I'm sure the 49ers will check in. Or the Cowboys will check in. And of course Garoppolo has a no-trade clause. Also: Garoppolo has a lot of value to the 49ers as QB2. We shall see.

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) September 12, 2022

Garoppolo is the clear top quarterback potentially on the market, relegated to a backup role on the San Francisco 49ers behind Trey Lance. His name was a constant source of trade rumors over the summer, though no deal materialized and he reworked his deal with the Niners to return for the 2022 season.

The 30-year-old is 33-14 in his career as a starter and led San Francisco to two playoff berths in the past three seasons. While he would still be a downgrade over Prescott, he'd be a pretty clear upgrade over Rush and would help stabilize what could be an otherwise tumultuous period for Dallas.

The Niners will be aware of that as well, however, and will demand a high asking price for his services. The Cowboys will have to weigh if such a price is worth the six to eight games he's asked to start.

The price they could pay for not making a move may end up being far more costly.

Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones still needs to see a little more from star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.

Regarding the team's receiver play as a whole, Jones said Monday on 105.3 The Fan the Cowboys "have got to get better there." He then highlighted Lamb specifically.

"CeeDee has got to improve and work his way into being the No. 1 receiver," he said.

The comment can be read as unfairly dismissive of Lamb's work to date. The 23-year-old caught 79 passes for 1,102 yards and six touchdowns in 2021 and earned his first Pro Bowl nod.

There's no question Lamb's performance (two catches, 29 yards) Sunday night in a 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was disappointing, but it was only one game. It doesn't erase what he did in his first two seasons.

Dallas' front office hasn't exactly set Lamb—or the offense as a whole for that matter—up for success, either.

The team traded Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns and replaced him with free agent James Washington and third-round draft pick Jalen Tolbert. Michael Gallup also missed the opener as he continues working his way back from his torn ACL in 2021.

Opposing defenses basically have free rein to zero in on Lamb on every passing down.

CeeDee Lamb was targeted 11 times. He had two catches for 29 yards. Yeah, they could have used Amari Cooper.

— Charean Williams (@NFLCharean) September 12, 2022

Collinsworth goes on a monologue about how the Cowboys don't have any receivers other than CeeDee... it's just too bad they didn't have any cap space or draft picks to address that issue.

— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) September 12, 2022

Compounding matters, Dak Prescott is expected to miss six to eight weeks because of a thumb injury he suffered on Monday night, per ESPN's Todd Archer. Barring an outside addition, Cooper Rush will be the starting quarterback for the next two months.

Look at the present state of the Cowboys offense:

Potential Dallas Cowboys offense in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals

LT: Tyler Smith
LG: Matt Farniok
C: Tyler Biadasz
RG: Zack Martin
RT: Terence Steele
QB: Cooper Rush
RB: Ezekiel Elliott
TE: Dalton Schultz
WR: CeeDee Lamb
WR: Noah Brown
WR: Dennis Houston

— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) September 12, 2022

Maybe Lamb ultimately isn't the kind of receiver who can anchor a passing game like Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson and Cooper Kupp do for their respective teams.

But the circumstances Lamb is facing would make it difficult for any wideout to shine on the field.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz is not giving up on the season despite a devastating season opener.

"The way I see it, it's just a storm," Schultz told reporters. "You got two choices. You can either run away from the storm or you can run right into it. I know myself included, and everybody in this locker room, is running right into that motherf--ker. That is just our approach."

Week 1 went about as poorly as possible for the Cowboys, who suffered a 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. Starting quarterback Dak Prescott left the game with a right thumb injury and will miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery, per ESPN's Todd Archer.

The offense was already dealing with injuries to key players like left tackle Tyron Smith and receiver Michael Gallup, and Prescott's injury means Dallas is in even worse shape for the next two months.

Schultz, who was a bright spot Sunday with 62 receiving yards on seven catches, still believes the team can bounce back. The Cowboys will have their first shot in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals with backup quarterback Cooper Rush likely under center.

There will be major question marks regarding the Washington Commanders backfield once Brian Robinson is able to return to the field, namely for fantasy players. The rookie appeared to be the favorite to earn the starting job ahead of Antonio Gibson before he was shot multiple times in August in an attempted robbery against him.

But Gibson may retain fantasy value even upon Robinson's return. Head coach Ron Rivera told reporters Monday he wants to find ways to utilize him in space:

Rivera said when Brian Robinson returns, they'd like to find more ways to use Antonio Gibson in space. Was highly effective running routes out of the backfield Sunday

— John Keim (@john_keim) September 12, 2022

Gibson had an excellent season debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, rushing 14 times for 58 yards while adding seven receptions for 72 yards on eight targets.

Really strong game for Antonio Gibson after losing his job and getting a chance yesterday.

🏈 14 rushes, 58 yds
🏈 7 catches, 72 yds
🏈 48 yds after contact (3.43 per)
🏈 Forced 4 misses tckls
🏈 12 rush yds over expected
🏈 Ran vs 8 man fronts 43% of time, 4th most in NFL.

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) September 12, 2022

Antonio Gibson's @PFF receiving grade (85.6) ranked best among all running backs in Week 1.

— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) September 12, 2022

Antonio Gibson finally got the passing game usage we've wanted basically his whole career. Led all non-WRs in routes run, had multiple down-field targets, super productive ... that was really impressive.

— Chris Towers is @cptowers.bsky.social (@CPTowers) September 12, 2022

It was the most single-game targets of his career, tied his previous mark for the most receptions in a game and was the third-most receiving yards he's ever accumulated in a contest.

And it wasn't all on dump-downs out of the backfield, either—Gibson had some impressive nabs:

.@cj_wentz to @AntonioGibson14 to enter the REDZONE! 🚨

📺: #JAXvsWAS on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/mY4ew2vyFN pic.twitter.com/MrOk3ly3eM

— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2022

Traditionally, Gibson has been more of a between-the-tackles runner for the Commanders in his three-year career. As a rookie, he had 36 catches for 247 yards on 44 targets. Last season, he bumped it up slightly to 42 catches for 294 yards and three scores.

That limited role was always a bigger surprise than Gibson's strong receiving day was Sunday in the team's 28-22 home victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a wide receiver in college, after all.

If Washington is indeed serious about giving him more looks as a receiver—and it should be—it could keep him fantasy-relevant upon Robinson's return. Backfield committees are always tricky for fantasy players to navigate, but committees with defined roles make it a bit easier to project upside going forward.

Gibson proved he could be effective as a receiving weapon out of the backfield on Sunday. He'll remain a high-end flex pick until Robinson's return, and if his receiving role remains intact, he should offer you a decent flex option the rest of the way, especially come the bye weeks.

If the Dallas Cowboys hope to save their 2022 season, they'll need to make a splash at quarterback—and fast.

Dak Prescott is expected to miss at least six weeks after fracturing his right thumb in Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per ESPN's Todd Archer.

Cooper Rush is the only other quarterback on the Dallas depth chart and has not been particularly impressive in limited action during his career. Rush threw for 64 yards on 7-of-13 passing after replacing Prescott in Week 1, largely hitting on underneath check-down passes as the Bucs played deep coverage.

With Rush as the lone healthy quarterback on the depth chart, Dallas will have to make an immediate move to add another signal-caller before Week 2. Will Grier will likely be called up from the practice squad in the immediate aftermath of Prescott's injury, but it's possible Jerry Jones has far starrier targets on his mind.

Jimmy Garoppolo stands out as by far the biggest and best potential trade target. The Cowboys could also contact the New Orleans Saints about a reunion with Andy Dalton, who took over for an injured Prescott in 2020. Cam Newton is the biggest name on the free-agent market, but he doesn't seem like a strong scheme fit.

Garoppolo is the only home-run option here, and it's likely he's regretting his restructured contract with the San Francisco 49ers at this point. The 49ers are much less inclined to move on with Garoppolo under an incentive-laden $7 million contract, and they may even balk at trading him within the NFC.

That said, it's possible 49ers general manager John Lynch senses the desperation in Dallas and looks to pounce. San Francisco could ask for a Day 2 pick from the Cowboys for Garoppolo and walk away from negotiations if Jones and Co. try a low-ball offer.

Dallas envisioned itself as a potential Super Bowl team but will almost certainly miss the playoffs without a major upgrade at quarterback. Time is of the essence here.

Acquiring Dalton would come at a lower compensation cost and may be a more seamless immediate fit. He already knows the Cowboys scheme after playing under Mike McCarthy two years ago, and Jameis Winston appears entrenched as the starter in New Orleans after leading a thrilling comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

While no one would confuse Dalton with an elite option, he's a solid enough caretaker who could keep the Cowboys around .500 while Prescott heals. He threw for 2,170 yards and 14 touchdowns against eight interceptions with Dallas in 2020.

As far as Newton goes, he looked like a shell of himself after rejoining the Carolina Panthers midway through last season. His name value is far higher than his on-field production at this point, and we're four full years removed from him being an adequate passer in the pocket.

The other quarterbacks available on the free-agent market are equally uninspiring, though, and Newton at least brings a dynamic with his legs. Regardless, the Cowboys' offense is looking at a major downgrade at quarterback in the hours following one of their worse offensive performances of the McCarthy era.