Cowboys Rumors: DAL Unlikely to Sign Cam Newton, Trade for QB After Prescott Injury

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.