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By Jon Machota
Jun 14, 2022
FRISCO, Texas — The most promising storyline coming out of the Cowboys’ offseason program is that their franchise quarterback is healthy and possibly in the best shape of his life.
A year ago at this time, Dak Prescott was still working his way back from a compound fracture and dislocation to his right ankle that ended his 2020 season in Week 5. He then suffered a strained throwing shoulder that caused him to miss two weeks of training camp. After getting off to a hot start to the 2021 season, Prescott strained his calf, causing him to miss a game. He never seemed fully recovered the rest of the season.
“I go into each offseason trying to be a better player and person than I was the year before,” Prescott said after Tuesday’s minicamp practice at The Star, “and so at this stage, at this point, I definitely feel like I’ve accomplished that. I think I’m so much further along than I was last year at this time. I mean, just being able to get the team reps, being able to move more, take care of my whole body and just focus on everything and not just my leg is a huge difference.”
This is the time of year when a quarterback should look their best. Players aren’t in full pads and the defense isn’t allowed to touch the quarterback or tackle players to the ground. If both were allowed, Cowboys second-year standout linebacker Micah Parsons might be the biggest standout of organized team activities and minicamp. But over the past four weeks, it has been Prescott for Dallas.
“It’s been huge for everybody,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said of having a healthy Prescott during OTAs and minicamp. “I think all the little things that we do, particularly in the meetings and the walk-throughs and all of that, they’re important obviously, but just for him to have no limits has been outstanding. And I think you clearly see it in the way he’s moving this year. You look at his body, he’s clearly different than he was last year. He’s had a heck of an offseason.”
Things have gone so well for Prescott that the expectation is he will be running more this upcoming season than he did a year ago. The significant ankle injury changed the game plan last season. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore didn’t call as many designed runs. Prescott ended up running 48 times for 146 yards and one touchdown. He ran 52 times for 277 yards and three touchdowns in 2019.
The biggest difference could come in the red zone. Prescott averaged six rushing touchdowns per season during his first three NFL seasons. He hasn’t had more than three in a season since. Though McCarthy and Moore will still be somewhat cautious about when they call for Prescott to carry the ball, perhaps there will be more opportunities in read-option-type situations in the red zone than a year ago.
Dak Prescott said his “confidence is through the roof.” (Tim Heitman / USA Today)
Prescott says he will pick his spots wisely. It’s unlikely that he’ll be fighting to break tackles as much as he did earlier in his career. After all, doing so led to the ankle injury against the New York Giants in 2020.
“Risk versus reward,” Prescott said, “and just understanding that some of those are called and why they are called. To go get the first down and get that, get some yards and get out of bounds. And just know the importance of everything. The coach isn’t going to call that for me to try to go run people over and stiff arm. Being smart and understanding that me being available is the best for me.”
Prescott was happy to see his No. 1 tight end back in the building Tuesday for mandatory minicamp. Dalton Schultz skipped OTAs last week in hopes of getting a long-term deal from Dallas. If a new contract is not signed by July 15, Schultz will play under the franchise tag, paying him about $11 million for the 2022 season.
Though Schultz was at practice Tuesday, No. 1 wide receiver CeeDee Lamb did not take part in team or individual drills. Veteran wide receivers Michael Gallup and James Washington worked off to the side on resistance cords. Rookie wide receiver Jalen Tolbert worked into team drills after being limited throughout OTAs.
With Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson gone, Lamb, Gallup, Washington and Tolbert all need to step up. More specifically, Prescott needs as much time as possible throwing to newcomers Washington and Tolbert. Having both limited during OTAs and minicamp is not ideal. The plan is for all of them to get together on several occasions between now and the start of training camp in late July.
“(I’m) fortunate obviously to have a field at the house,” Prescott said. “We’ll make sure we get out there a few times and make up that chemistry. Get some of those routes, get some of those things we may not feel comfortable on. … We’ll make it a point to get some extra time in.”
Prescott said that although he still weighs about the same, this is the leanest he’s ever been.
Has his diet changed?
“I can’t say it’s drastically different than a year ago, maybe (different from) a few years ago,” Prescott said. “Definitely different than college. I mean college was Taco Bell and McDonald’s mandatory weekly, so removing (the fast-food) for the most part. Just training a little bit different, doing a lot more rotational things that I think have just dropped some of the baby fat, I guess, off.”
Prescott was joking Tuesday when he said he’s now going to be running 20 times per game. In 2018, he averaged a career-high 4.7 rush attempts per game. The average in 2022 will probably be closer to three. Though the threat of Prescott running should help the offense, what he does with his arm will largely determine how successful the Cowboys are in their quarterback’s seventh season. Having a leaner frame could also help Prescott’s ability to get outside of the pocket and extend plays down the field for his receivers.
“My confidence is through the roof,” Prescott said. “I mean, I feel good on the move or not.”
Jun 14, 2022
FRISCO, Texas — The most promising storyline coming out of the Cowboys’ offseason program is that their franchise quarterback is healthy and possibly in the best shape of his life.
A year ago at this time, Dak Prescott was still working his way back from a compound fracture and dislocation to his right ankle that ended his 2020 season in Week 5. He then suffered a strained throwing shoulder that caused him to miss two weeks of training camp. After getting off to a hot start to the 2021 season, Prescott strained his calf, causing him to miss a game. He never seemed fully recovered the rest of the season.
“I go into each offseason trying to be a better player and person than I was the year before,” Prescott said after Tuesday’s minicamp practice at The Star, “and so at this stage, at this point, I definitely feel like I’ve accomplished that. I think I’m so much further along than I was last year at this time. I mean, just being able to get the team reps, being able to move more, take care of my whole body and just focus on everything and not just my leg is a huge difference.”
This is the time of year when a quarterback should look their best. Players aren’t in full pads and the defense isn’t allowed to touch the quarterback or tackle players to the ground. If both were allowed, Cowboys second-year standout linebacker Micah Parsons might be the biggest standout of organized team activities and minicamp. But over the past four weeks, it has been Prescott for Dallas.
“It’s been huge for everybody,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said of having a healthy Prescott during OTAs and minicamp. “I think all the little things that we do, particularly in the meetings and the walk-throughs and all of that, they’re important obviously, but just for him to have no limits has been outstanding. And I think you clearly see it in the way he’s moving this year. You look at his body, he’s clearly different than he was last year. He’s had a heck of an offseason.”
Things have gone so well for Prescott that the expectation is he will be running more this upcoming season than he did a year ago. The significant ankle injury changed the game plan last season. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore didn’t call as many designed runs. Prescott ended up running 48 times for 146 yards and one touchdown. He ran 52 times for 277 yards and three touchdowns in 2019.
The biggest difference could come in the red zone. Prescott averaged six rushing touchdowns per season during his first three NFL seasons. He hasn’t had more than three in a season since. Though McCarthy and Moore will still be somewhat cautious about when they call for Prescott to carry the ball, perhaps there will be more opportunities in read-option-type situations in the red zone than a year ago.
Dak Prescott said his “confidence is through the roof.” (Tim Heitman / USA Today)
Prescott says he will pick his spots wisely. It’s unlikely that he’ll be fighting to break tackles as much as he did earlier in his career. After all, doing so led to the ankle injury against the New York Giants in 2020.
“Risk versus reward,” Prescott said, “and just understanding that some of those are called and why they are called. To go get the first down and get that, get some yards and get out of bounds. And just know the importance of everything. The coach isn’t going to call that for me to try to go run people over and stiff arm. Being smart and understanding that me being available is the best for me.”
Prescott was happy to see his No. 1 tight end back in the building Tuesday for mandatory minicamp. Dalton Schultz skipped OTAs last week in hopes of getting a long-term deal from Dallas. If a new contract is not signed by July 15, Schultz will play under the franchise tag, paying him about $11 million for the 2022 season.
Though Schultz was at practice Tuesday, No. 1 wide receiver CeeDee Lamb did not take part in team or individual drills. Veteran wide receivers Michael Gallup and James Washington worked off to the side on resistance cords. Rookie wide receiver Jalen Tolbert worked into team drills after being limited throughout OTAs.
With Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson gone, Lamb, Gallup, Washington and Tolbert all need to step up. More specifically, Prescott needs as much time as possible throwing to newcomers Washington and Tolbert. Having both limited during OTAs and minicamp is not ideal. The plan is for all of them to get together on several occasions between now and the start of training camp in late July.
“(I’m) fortunate obviously to have a field at the house,” Prescott said. “We’ll make sure we get out there a few times and make up that chemistry. Get some of those routes, get some of those things we may not feel comfortable on. … We’ll make it a point to get some extra time in.”
Prescott said that although he still weighs about the same, this is the leanest he’s ever been.
Has his diet changed?
“I can’t say it’s drastically different than a year ago, maybe (different from) a few years ago,” Prescott said. “Definitely different than college. I mean college was Taco Bell and McDonald’s mandatory weekly, so removing (the fast-food) for the most part. Just training a little bit different, doing a lot more rotational things that I think have just dropped some of the baby fat, I guess, off.”
Prescott was joking Tuesday when he said he’s now going to be running 20 times per game. In 2018, he averaged a career-high 4.7 rush attempts per game. The average in 2022 will probably be closer to three. Though the threat of Prescott running should help the offense, what he does with his arm will largely determine how successful the Cowboys are in their quarterback’s seventh season. Having a leaner frame could also help Prescott’s ability to get outside of the pocket and extend plays down the field for his receivers.
“My confidence is through the roof,” Prescott said. “I mean, I feel good on the move or not.”