OXNARD, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Dak Prescott will not throw for a “few days” as the quarterback works through a latissimus injury that ended his Wednesday practice early.
“It’s good you catch a fatigue injury early,” McCarthy said. “I think it’s more staying in front of what he has.”
An MRI showed Prescott is dealing with a shoulder strain, but he said in a statement released by the club on Wednesday he didn’t “see it as any kind of serious setback.” Prescott will go through all the drills and the walk-through as he rehabs not only this strain but his right ankle. Garrett Gilbert will get the bulk of the first-team quarterback work, but McCarthy said Ben DiNucci and Cooper Rush will also get some reps as well.
McCarthy and executive vice president Stephen Jones did not say Prescott threw too much leading into camp. In the first four practices, he threw 78 passes in 11-on-11 drills, to go along with the individual and other situational work.
“Based on the location [of the injury] and the information that I have, it’s not of high concern,” McCarthy said. “I think it’s smart that he pulled up when he did.”
McCarthy and Jones said the plan remains to play Prescott some in the preseason, although it was always highly unlikely he would play in the Aug. 5 Hall of Fame game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Prescott said he felt it was important he got some work in the preseason as well, considering he last played in Week 5 of the 2020 season because of the ankle injury.
“Based on what [head athletic trainer Jim Maurer] has told me, the medical report yesterday, I don’t see us getting away from our preliminary plan,” McCarthy said.
Gilbert and DiNucci have one start apiece in their careers. Rush has been with the Cowboys, on and off, since 2017. The Cowboys looked at veteran free agents Jeff Driskel and Brett Hundley in the offseason but passed on signing either quarterback.
“We like what we have but as I always say player acquisition is 365 days a year,” Jones said. “We’ve got plenty of arms here, and that’s why you start with four knowing you might not have one so usually the fourth guy doesn’t get much work, but obviously they will now. We like them all. We’re obviously trying to develop DiNucci, and got a great history with Cooper. And of course Garrett did a great job when he came in last year against the Steelers and gave us a chance to win the game. So we feel good about it. As I said, if we see something that makes us better then we’re always open to it.”