Tony Romo Injury Means Dak Prescott is the Cowboys’ QB of the Present and Future

Let the Dak Prescott era begin for the Dallas Cowboys. The rookie has shown enough promise this preseason to start while Tony Romo’s injuries have rendered him unreliable. 

The back injury that didn’t seem to be much of a concern when Romo left Thursday’s contest against the Seattle Seahawks is much worse than originally believed. 

David Helman of the Cowboys’ official site reported Romo had an MRI Friday that revealed a broken bone in his back. The organization didn’t provide a timetable for his return, and head coach Jason Garrett said the situation is “day-to-day,” per Helman. Garrett won’t even rule out the possibility of the veteran being available for Week 1 against the New York Giants, according to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora. Those outside of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ purview painted a far different picture, however. 

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported the injury would take six to 10 weeks to heal. The MMQB’s Peter King provided a potential return date of Oct. 30 against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. Another inevitable injury occurred. 

Romo has been a walking MASH unit over the last three seasons. The 36-year-old signal-caller required season-ending back surgery in 2013 and dealt with a rib injury. In 2014, Romo battled through two transverse fractures. Last season, he dealt with collarbone issues. 

His resiliency is admirable, but a football player’s shelf life is finite. At Romo’s age, he’s much closer to the end than the beginning. When an opportunity presents itself to transition to a quality prospect at the game’s most important position, an organization needs to take advantage. 

A permanent move to Prescott can take place with both short- and long-term intentions. 

Even without Romo, the Cowboys can compete in the NFC East. It may be a more difficult road without a veteran presence behind center, but the division is wide-open after the Washington Redskins captured it with just a 9-7 record last season.

The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to take another step backward as they transition under head coach Doug Pederson. And the New York Giants are talented but haven’t had a winning record since 2012. 

Also, a shift to Prescott is a smart financial decision for the organization. Romo’s contract became an albatross the moment he signed the six-year, $108 million pact in 2013. As of next year, the Cowboys can get out of the deal and save $5.1 million of cap space, according to Spotrac.com. 

Yes, an injury forced Dallas’ hand, but this shift wouldn’t require much of a transition.

The two-time Conerly Trophy winner—given to the best college football player in Mississippi—has been stellar throughout the preseason. Through his first two contests, Prescott owned a perfect passer rating and accounted for more touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) than he threw incomplete …

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