Mike McCarthy: Cowboys improving Dak Prescott's performance begins with offensive line

The key for Dallas overcoming the playoff hump next season largely depends on Mike McCarthy improving quarterback Dak Prescott‘s play. The Cowboys star quarterback had a career-high in interceptions last season, and according to McCarthy, fixing that issue starts at the offensive line.

“We’ll be different with some things, but it will be about protecting him better,” McCarthy said to reporters at the NFL’s annual team owners meetings.

The Cowboys skipper said the staff has installed the run game plan but they’re still working on pass protection and passing concepts. The staff is trimming down the concepts and getting input from Prescott. McCarthy has a new offensive coordinator in Brian Schottenheimer and a new QBs coach in Scott Tolzein.

Although Dallas’ offensive line didn’t allow an exorbitant number of sacks on Dak Prescott in 2022, the QB suffered an injury in the season opener that kept him out for five weeks.

“My goal is for Dak to play 20 games next year,” McCarthy said. “If he plays 20 games next year, obviously we’ll be right where we want to be.”

The Cowboys offensive line ranked 28th in pass block win rate and was 17th in pressure percentage (20.7 percent of dropbacks). Losing Tyron Smith for most of the season didn’t help but the depth on the OL was able to compensate until his return.

Now, they have options, including starting Terence Steele as a guard. Although Jerry Jones said this week that the team isn’t considering it, Mike McCarthy wouldn’t rule it out. The Cowboys also added free agent guard/tackle Chuma Edoga on a one-year deal.

Prescott addresses urgency for Dallas Cowboys to win in 2023

The Cowboys offseason has been one of bittersweet departures for Prescott. From his offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier to his draft class mate Ezekiel Elliott, Prescott’s lost many faces that have been major parts of the organization since he arrived in 2016.

The departures of his teammates and coaches was a wakeup call about the Cowboys’ priorities and a warning about his own security. Although Jerry Jones and other front office execs have expressed their desire to keep Prescott around for years to come, there has to be a clock ticking regardless.

“The urgency — having all those guys depart, so many good friends and teammates and not win a championship,” Prescott told reporters this week. “The urgency was there but, now, as that’s turned over, I realize I might blink and my career might be over… urgency is now.”

“It’s now or never,” Prescott added. “It’s [as] simple as that. No sugarcoating it.”

Doing his part to improve the Cowboys’ roster this offseason, the starting quarterback agreed to a major contract restructuring.

The team converted $29.2 million of his 2023 salary into a signing bonus, which cleared $22 million in cap space. That space has already come in handy for Dallas. They added a veteran weapon for Prescott in Brandin Cooks. Cooks can open up the Cowboys offense by creating separation and opening up the field more for CeeDee Lamb.