Ralph Vacchiano
NFC East Reporter
Dak Prescott would by no means say it, however by now he is aware of that Jerry Jones’ vow to be “all in” on the 2024 season has grow to be a world joke. No group did much less to enhance themselves this offseason than the Dallas Cowboys. No group spent much less cash.
So it might be comprehensible if Prescott was frightened, heading into his ninth — and probably final — season because the Cowboys’ quarterback, particularly as he practiced this week with out his one blue-chip offensive teammate, receiver CeeDee Lamb. However he insisted he is not frightened about what’s taking place in Dallas.
A minimum of not but.
“It’s only the start, first off,” Prescott instructed the media throughout Cowboys minicamp this week. “And you do not simply win video games with expertise. I perceive what it appears to be like like, what it could seem like from that facet, understanding the dearth of strikes that get achieved.
“It creates a terrific dialog.”
Certainly it does. And a giant a part of that dialog is about how, if the Cowboys are going to really be a playoff contender this season, the 30-year-old Prescott may need to hold the group.
There could also be no method round that after an offseason wherein the Cowboys noticed way more gamers stroll out the door than they introduced in. Their one notable free-agent signing was their reunion with 28-year-old working again Ezekiel Elliott, who got here again to Dallas after his youthful substitute, Tony Pollard, left for Tennessee. Their solely different offensive additions had been two rookies — first-round sort out Tyler Guyton and third-round heart Cooper Beebe — who may need to start out on the depleted offensive line.
In different phrases, they did not get Prescott any assist. They could not even make his present assist completely happy, with Lamb skipping minicamp whereas awaiting a profitable contract extension earlier than he begins the ultimate 12 months of his rookie deal.
The excellent news, although, is Prescott seems ready for the big problem — although he is embroiled in his personal contract ready sport as he approaches the final 12 months of the four-year, $160 million contract he signed in 2021. He is coming off a spectacular season wherein he accomplished a career-high 69.5 p.c of his passes for 4,516 yards and an NFL-best 36 touchdowns (with simply 9 interceptions).
Duplicating that will not be straightforward. However to date, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy likes what he sees.
“I believe Dak is having his finest offseason program that we have had, and he is had actually good offseason applications the entire time,” McCarthy stated. “This environment we apply in with the receivers and the quarterbacks have actually hit the mark. I am very impressed with the standard of labor.”
Will Dak Prescott be a free agent in 2025?
A part of the rationale for that, Prescott stated, is the pure development of a quarterback who was pressured to be taught a brand new offense one 12 months in the past, when McCarthy took over the offense from departed coordinator Kellen Moore. Prescott has a greater understanding of the scheme now, and a deeper information of the way it really works, and what components of it work finest for him.
That may assist immensely. It may possibly even push the McCarthy-Prescott tandem to attempt new issues.
“Final 12 months right now was the primary time you had been listening to this stuff (within the offense),” Prescott stated. “You are on the five hundred stage now. You are speaking these performs and specific sport conditions, down and distances — not simply the breaks, the alignments, and issues like that. We’re moving into the nuts and bolts.”
After all, regardless of what Prescott stated, expertise nonetheless issues. And there is not any sugarcoating the truth that the Cowboys did not add a lot expertise over the previous few months. Regardless of being “all in” on the season, the Cowboys did not go get Prescott one other receiver, they handed on a star-studded class of free-agent working backs that included Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry, they usually relied on the draft to switch the losses of left sort out Tyron Smith and heart Tyler Biadasz.
Their model of being “all in” was actually to face pat with what that they had, and to gamble that Prescott — maybe in a contract 12 months if he does not signal an extension quickly — is sufficient to make all of it repay. That provides a variety of strain to their franchise quarterback to rise above the Cowboys’ inaction and by some means make all of it work.
However regardless of all of the doubters on the surface, he appears able to go “all in” on his personal.
“I do not thoughts it,” Prescott stated. “I have been on this place earlier than. “I am a playing man. (I) will gamble on myself and my guys.”
Ralph Vacchiano is the NFC East reporter for FOX Sports activities, masking the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He spent the earlier six years masking the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years masking the Giants and the NFL for the New York Day by day Information. Observe him Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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