DMN: Cole Beasley's excited about Dak Prescott's plan for Cowboys receivers before training camp

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Cole Beasley's excited about Dak Prescott's plan for Cowboys receivers before training camp
By Jori Epstein , Staff writer

FRISCO -- Dak Prescott's about to have a little more time on his hands.

After the Cowboys conclude minicamp on Thursday, the veterans don't have to report for team activities again until training camp begins July 22 in Oxnard, California. No more mandatory meetings, press conferences or formal film sessions for Prescott for more than a month. He'll attend some camps, including at his alma mater Mississippi State, but what else lies ahead?

"I'll have a lot more time on my hands," Prescott said Wednesday from Cowboys minicamp.

He won't leave football totally behind.

"It's important to take time off but also staying focused on the playbook, keeping my feet firing, keeping my arm going," Prescott said.

One way he'll do that: hold de facto quarterback camps with his receivers. They' plan to meet at the Cowboys' practice facility in Frisco and have floated around other training locations, too.
Prescott doesn't care where he meets as long as his team is working.

"If one receiver's in town when I'm here, we'll get some work in," Prescott said. "I don't care if we're both down in L.A. and accidentally run into each other - we'll probably go get some work in that next day or something. It's about just communicating, knowing where we're at, trying to get a time together where we're all there."

That off-time practice could come with anyone from Dez Bryant to Ezekiel Elliott, whom Prescott says is working on being the best receiving running back he can be. But slot receiver Cole Beasley might be most eager for the meetings. After sitting out OTAs and minicamp with hamstring tendinitis, Beasley's ready to regroup with Prescott. It'll help them "stay in sync," he said.

"Last year was only our first year together so I'd like to think we've grown a lot since then," Beasley said. "Me and Dak, we'll get together in the next few weeks and start grinding. I think we'll only improve as we go."

Beasley and Prescott developed a quick connection, propelling Beasley to become the Cowboys' top receiver in 2016 with 75 receptions for 833 yards and seven touchdowns. Beasley's "pumped" to double up in the slot with rookie receiver Ryan Switzer, who's also 5-8, this season.

But what if Prescott hits a sophomore slump?

Beasley isn't worried.

"He's one of the hardest-working guys I've seen at the quarterback position in a long time in a lot of years playing," Beasley said. "His approach and his mindset will control that. ... He's the type of guy who's going to grind no matter and continue to get better no matter how good he gets."

That's good news for Prescott, but also for his go-to Beasley, who hopes to hone deep routes and new looks over the next month before training camp. By the time Oxnard rolls around, Prescott and his receivers will be deep into work.

To Prescott, that's what the team's 2017 slogan of "recommit" is all about.

"Recommit's not just something in this locker room," he said. "It's you're recommitting to this team and our goal every day. It'll probably play more of a hand in this month off when we're not together. It's being committed to this team and accountable when we're not together."

Head coach Jason Garrett agreed.

"Recommit is the essence of life," Garrett said at minicamp, getting philosophical. "Every day, you've got to recommit to the things you stand for."

Long before training camp, Prescott and his receivers already have.
 
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