Dallas Cowboys expect Prescott to play in preseason despite "step back"
The Dallas Cowboys will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday. However, Cowboys fans will have to wait to watch Dak Prescott return to the playing field. This would come as no surprise even if Dak hadn't suffered a shoulder muscle strain recently but it has now been […]
The Dallas Cowboys will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday. However, Cowboys fans will have to wait to watch Dak Prescott return to the playing field. This would come as no surprise even if Dak hadn't suffered a shoulder muscle strain recently but it has now been made official by Head Coach Mike McCarthy.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday, McCarthy talked about Prescott's status. Initially, it was said that Dak would resume throwing in 3-5 days after the injury. Before that, David Moore from the DMN reported it could take two weeks for his return. The Cowboys have comprehensibly changed their mind, though as McCarthy said Dak has taken a "step back" in his return.
A step back isn't the same as a setback, though, and Mike McCarthy made that clear. "We still feel the same about the type of injury," said the Cowboys' HC before adding that the only thing that has changed was Prescott's timeline to return.
In other words, the Dallas Cowboys are playing it smart. Frankly, it would be stubborn to do rush things. Starters usually don't see the field in the Hall of Fame Game, anyway. After the game in Canton, Ohio, the team is set to return to practice until August 10th. Trying to get Prescott to throw earlier than that would be of little help.
However, the Cowboys are still expecting Dak Prescott to throw in the preseason, even if it's just for one game. Specifically, McCarthy mentioned he considers the third game (preseason Week 2) versus the Houston Texans as a possibility.
NFL teams handle their starters very differently in the preseason. For the Dallas Cowboys, it's a different year since they're trying to get some live reps for Dak given he hasn't seen live football action since his injury in Week 5 of the 2020 season.
Meanwhile, there will be a lot to talk about beyond Dak Prescott when it comes to the Cowboys QB position group. Garrett Gilbert is favored to be the team's backup, but things could get interesting in the preseason.
Although his performance in 2020 was underwhelming, Ben DiNucci was only an undrafted rookie who wasn't supposed to see the playing field at all last year. The coaching staff sees something in him and Gilbert hasn't done much to be considered a "lock" as QB2. DiNucci should get a lot of playing time on Thursday and throughout the preseason. Lastly, Cooper Rush will also try to bring competition to the position group.
Featured image via Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
