Cowboys playing it smart with Dak Prescott in preseason

Originally planning to bring him back for preseason action, the Dallas Cowboys have been hesitant to risk Dak Prescott before the season begins fully. As NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks detailed, the Cowboys have been weighing the pros and cons of allowing Prescott to experience live game action as he returns to playing from his season-ending injury in 2020.

Cowboys smart to sit Dak Prescott

When the Dallas Cowboys signed Dak Prescott to a four-year contract worth $160 million, they made an investment for their team’s future. After losing significant time with that investment in 2020 to a season-ending ankle injury, they have been working to reintroduce Prescott to the playing field.

“I am not surprised head coach Mike McCarthy is taking every precaution to ensure his QB1 will make it to the starting line ready to go in 2021,” wrote NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks about their decision.

Coming into the 2021 Cowboys training camp, Prescott and the Cowboys were cautiously planning to bring him back to full action by ramping up his activity. Their plans changed when Prescott left an early offseason practice with soreness in his throwing shoulder.

Their decision to keep him off the preseason playing field since has been made at a great potential cost. If Prescott is unable to see live game action before the season begins, it could severely limit his ability to develop chemistry with his offense. Prescott is no stranger to the NFL or the speed of the game, so their choice has been influenced by Prescott’s history so far.

Brooks stated his thoughts that these concerns don’t outweigh the risk of injury. By avoiding the potential for injury, the Cowboys are making a smart decision to sit Dak Prescott.

“Although there are some benefits to playing in an exhibition game for a quarterback — the opportunity to improve chemistry, timing and execution, for example — those things are not worth the risk of injury.”

Will Prescott be ready by week one?

Despite their concerns about chemistry and getting the timing down for a live game, head coach Mike McCarthy is trusting the value of practice. While not a live situation, the Cowboys have approached Prescott’s practice schedule with real applications in mind, and Bucky Brooks agreed.

“In addition, I believe the Cowboys’ commitment to competitive drills and simulating game action during practice will be beneficial to the QB and the team,” Brooks wrote. “While attending training camp practices in Oxnard, California, I noticed Dallas devoted multiple periods to situational football, particularly the two-minute drill, third down and red zone. With McCarthy pitting the starting units against each other, Prescott was able to rehearse key situations in an ultra-competitive environment before being confined to mental reps due to the shoulder injury.”

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