Dak Prescott making progress, on track for preseason return

Dak Prescott continues to make progress in his shoulder injury recovery. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback did not play in Friday night’s preseason game, but he did throw in pregame warmups. He was on the field throwing passes to Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott before Dallas’ game against the Cardinals. 

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted Saturday that Prescott had no issues throwing prior to the preseason game. The Cowboys have been taking the quarterback’s recovery progress slowly, but the hope is for Prescott to practice this week and play in Dallas’ preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 29.

Prescott spent the offseason recovering from ankle surgery and now has a latissimus strain in his right arm. The injury occurred in his return to practice.

Path back to full health

The Cowboys’ star quarterback suffered a significant ankle injury last season, causing him to miss nearly the entire season. Coming into training camp, Prescott and the Cowboys were cautiously planning to bring him back to full action. Their plans changed when Prescott left practice with soreness in his throwing shoulder.

As NFL Network’s Slater reported, Prescott has claimed the shoulder injury was a “freak accident.” Prescott told reporters that if the NFL season was starting this week, his injury would not prevent him from starting.

His ankle injury is not causing any current concerns. The Cowboys open the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 9.

Dak Prescott’s new contract

The Cowboys long-term investment in Prescott is a large reason for their caution in Prescott’s return. The franchise does not want him to plant until he is back to full health. This offseason, the quarterback signed an extension with the Cowboys. The deal is for four years and worth $160 million, according to Front Office Sports.

Around $40 million per year makes him one of the top-paid players at his position and makes Dallas an immediate contender.

After falling to Dallas in the fourth round, Prescott took over the starting job in year one and has never looked back. He had thrown for 17,634 yards with 106 touchdowns and 40 interceptions over the past five seasons. Prescott has added more than 1,000 yards on the ground and 24 rushing touchdowns over his career.