Dallas Cowboys fans patiently awaiting Dak Prescott's return are going to have to wait a bit longer. After the quarterback sustained a right thumb injury in their very first game, a 19-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he's been on the sidelines since.

The hope was that he'd be able to return within one month following his surgery on September 12th. That would have pegged him to be able to play in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams. But according to the latest report from NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, even a Week 6 return is looking pretty bleak barring a huge acceleration in his recovery. 

He is scheduled for a re-evaluation on Tuesday to assess his progress thus far. The concern has nothing to do with his condition, as Dak Prescott has reportedly stayed in optimum shape while on IR. The concern is mainly on the swelling and soreness in his thumb following the surgery. As of now, the Cowboys star is still working to regain grip strength.

The Cowboys have hardly missed him on the field, however, going 3-0 since Cooper Rush took over at QB. The longtime backup is getting his first true taste of the starting role after taking the mantle just once in his first four seasons in Dallas.

While it's all but assured that Dak Prescott will take over the starting spot–he's making over $40 million, after all–it'll certainly be a tougher decision if Cooper Rush stays undefeated through five weeks of action. There's almost no chance they keep Dak on the bench, but stranger things have happened.