Report: Cowboys to keep Romo on active roster

The Dallas Cowboys will keep quarterback Tony Romo on the active roster in hopes of having him return sooner than expected from a compression fracture in his back, according to Adam Schefter and Todd Archer of ESPN.

If the Cowboys had placed Romo on injured reserve he would not be eligible to return until Week 9 at the earliest, but the team is hoping for a mid-October return, Archer reports.

Initial indications had Romo out 8-10 weeks.

With Romo out, the Cowboys will turn to rookie Dak Prescott, who has excelled in the preseason. Veteran Mark Sanchez was also signed as insurance on Saturday.