Dak Prescott has not played in the preseason since 2019. It appears he will go another year without seeing action in the exhibition season.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said he has not made a final determination but is “leaning” against playing Prescott in any of the three games leading into the regular season.
“We talked about it, but I haven’t made a decision,” McCarthy said, via Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. “I’m leaning toward not. If I had to bet, I’d bet on no. But I don’t bet.”
The NFL didn’t play any preseason games in 2020 because of the pandemic, and then Prescott was working his way back from a fractured ankle in the 2021 preseason and a shoulder injury last preseason. He is fully healthy now, and the Cowboys want to keep him that way until opening day, even though they have a semi-new “Texas Coast” offense and a new play caller in McCarthy.
The Cowboys have three quarterbacks on the roster, leaving Cooper Rush and Will Grier to get all the preseason snaps if Prescott doesn’t play.
“We have it all written up,” McCarthy said. “We have two plans, and that’s kind of normal. In the first game, we’ll look at a certain combination. In the second game, we may flip one or two guys. I feel good about the responsibility and the way we have it outlined. We’ll have three games to work it.”
