McLeod Bethel-Thompson

The next game Tony Romo can start is Nov. 22 against the Miami Dolphins.

The Dallas Cowboys will place their starting quarterback on the injured reserve/designated to return list on Tuesday, according to a source, which will keep him out for the next eight weeks as he recovers from a broken left collarbone. Romo will not have surgery to repair the collarbone.

Romo will miss seven games because of the Cowboys' Oct. 18 bye week.

Brandon Weeden will be the starter in Romo's absence and the team is working out Christian Ponder, Josh Johnson, Matt Flynn and McLeod Bethel-Thompson but could also look to call up Kellen Moore from the practice squad.

The move to short-term injured reserve opens up a roster spot for the Cowboys. Last year the Cowboys placed defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence on the list at the start of the season because of a foot injury and he missed the first eight games of his rookie season. Had the Cowboys placed wide receiver Dez Bryant, who is recovering from foot surgery, on the list, then they would have had to have kept Romo on the 53-man roster. A team can use the designation on only one player.