Could the Dallas Cowboys push back Tony Romo's timetable to return?
Shortly after Romo hurt his back during preseason play, the Cowboys planned for the quarterback to return after the Week 7 bye. With Dak Prescott's superb play, questions about Romo's return have magnified each week.
The Cowboys, including Prescott, have insisted it's still Romo's team and the veteran will get the starting gig back when healthy.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning that the Cowboys might push back Romo's return to ensure he's fully healthy.
"The original plan was to have Tony Romo come back after the bye against the Eagles on Sunday night," Rapoport said. "I am now told the Cowboys want to make sure Romo is a hundred thousand, million percent ready to go when he is back. So don't be surprised if Dak Prescott starts at least one more game after the bye while they make sure that Romo is ready. So what this means is the Cowboys will delay a decision until they absolutely have to, perhaps allowing Prescott to keep going until Romo gets back in there."
Dallas playing the 'he's just not physically ready yet' card to elongate Prescott's start under center makes sense. It would keep the status quo with a rising young quarterback without forcing an announcement about how Dallas has displaced a respected veteran.
While that could solve a public relations problem, players in the locker room can see through the ploy.
Rapoport reported that within the Cowboys' locker room there is currently more support for Prescott keeping the starting gig than for a change back to Romo.
As with all fluid things in the NFL, everything depends on the last game played. If Prescott puts up his first bad start in Green Bay this afternoon, the calls for Romo to play could return to Dallas in a hurry. If the rookie stacks another impressive performance, the Cowboys already have a built-in excuse to keep Romo on the sideline following the bye.
