Dak Prescott opens up about Cowboys building on past two seasons
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is feeling really good about the 2023 season.
Has that been the case every year since his debut as the starter in 2016? Yes. However, the veteran quarterback has as much reason as ever to feel that way heading toward training camp. Following back-to-back playoff runs, Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys show no sign of slowing down.
“You’re able to take two 12-win seasons over into this one and build,” Prescott said on The Fan, via the Athletics‘ Jon Machota. “It’s the first time in my career I can say I feel like consecutive seasons are building. Going back to 2021, we’ve been able to build. We built that year and we can build again. I think that’s the best real chance that you have of making it.
“You got to give it knocks. You’ve got to see what it feels like. Us having that now, you feel a lot more comfortable, you’re excited about the details, the changes that we’ve had on the offense and just the team. I’m looking forward to it with a lot of excitement.”
Continuing to build momentum won’t guarantee that the Cowboys make it past the second round of the playoffs this season, but it will at least give them yet another chance.
As long as Dallas continues to make the postseason, they could reach the top. Two of the league’s most dominant franchises, the Patriots and Chiefs, consistently made the playoffs and have multiple rings to show for it.
Cowboys changes fuel 2023 Super Bowl hopes
Despite back-to-back 12-5 finishes, Mike McCarthy wasn’t content to keep everything the same. Dallas opted not to renew the contracts of eight coaching staff members, including offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier.
McCarthy promoted Brian Schottenheimer to OC after revealing his plans to take over playcalling himself in 2023. They also assigned Scott Tolzein the role of quarterbacks coach.
The Cowboys showed how serious they were about continuing to build when free agency hit. They re-signed safety Donovan Wilson, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, DE Dante Fowler, tackle Johnathan Hankins and franchise-tagged Tony Pollard to keep them off the market.
Jerry Jones and his front office also executed trades that sent two 2023 fifth-round picks out of Dallas in exchange for former Texans wideout Brandin Cooks and former Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Dallas also signed outside free agents this offseason, picking up running back Ronald Jones, offensive lineman Chuma Edoga and long snapper Trent Sieg.
All these changes, plus the addition of new faces from the draft, the Cowboys are poised to challenge the Eagles for the division once again.