The Dallas Cowboys “couldn’t be happier” with the rehab progress made by quarterback Dak Prescott, who will be “110 percent ready to go” for the 2021 season, team vice president Stephen Jones announced Tuesday.
“I’m sure you all get peeks out on the field. He’s just doing an amazing job,” Jones said amid his pre-NFL draft press conference featuring owner Jerry Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy, per Pro Football Talk. “His work ethic, of course, it’s contagious with his teammates. One of the things that stuck out about Dak’s leadership last year is he was right back in the facility right after he was hurt. His leadership is elite. And of course he’s doing that on the field, and he’s just making a tremendous amount of progress. We feel like he’ll be 110 percent ready to go.”
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‘Ahead of Schedule’
Prescott is now more than six months removed from compound-fracturing and dislocating his right ankle, catastrophic injuries that required a projected recovery timetable of 4-6 months. The expectation was that official medical clearance would come by training camp, which begins in late July.
On April 7, Dallas-based QB trainer Damian Devon posted to social media videos of Prescott handling snaps and lobbing passes to live targets — the first such throwing action since his Oct. 11 injury.
Back in motion! @dak #3DQBTEXAS
Prescott said in March, upon inking his record-setting $160 million contract, that he will be “ready when it matters” later this summer. The Cowboys’ brain trust echoed the notion with aplomb.
“Well, he’s made a lot of progress lately,” McCarthy said, via Pro Football Talk. “Actually, I was able to watch him work Saturday. It was probably his most extensive work so far. He’s throwing now, doing the footwork drills. He’s made a lot of progress. Very disciplined in his regimen. He’s here almost every day, so I’d say he’s right on track or maybe a little ahead of schedule.”
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Mothballs Until August?
Following the release of Prescott’s aforementioned passing clips, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Cowboys remain likely to employ a safer-than-sorry approach with their franchise signal-caller. This means little to no participation in spring work such as Organized Team Activities and minicamp practices scattered throughout May and June.
“We saw the video right there, great sign for the Cowboys and Dak Prescott, who’s coming along really well from his ankle rehab,” Rapoport said. “Remember, this is from not just one surgery but two surgeries, with his second, more minor surgery stabilizing the ankle ligament and, from the people I’ve spoken with, essentially speeding up and making sure his rehab is secure.
“Here’s my understanding of where it stands: He’s expected to be ready to go for training camp but they are not gonna put him in harm’s way. So, I would expect him to be out there standing on the field in the spring, assuming there is on-field work. But I wouldn’t expect him to do very much or be put at risk.”
READ NEXT: Photos Surface of Dak Prescott’s Surgically-Repaired Ankle [LOOK]
Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL
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Cowboys Release Joint Statement on QB Dak Prescott