Dak Prescott to receive another MRI on right shoulder; Cowboys QB still plans to face Buccaneers in Week 1

While emphasizing that it’s nothing to worry about, the Cowboys announced on Wednesday that quarterback Dak Prescott plans to have another MRI to check out his right shoulder strain when the team breaks camp this weekend.

Prescott, who missed most of last season after suffering a compound leg fracture, told reporters Wednesday that he remains focused on being on the field when the Cowboys open the regular season against the defending champion Buccaneers on Sept. 9.

“Once I get back in the team setting, I’m not going to think about my arm,” said Prescott, who resumed light throwing this week. “It’s about progressing at the right time. It all felt good out there. Every throw I made. When they tell you stop, you don’t want to hear it, but you (stop).”

Prescott sustained the injury during a July 28 practice. While he has not practiced for two weeks, Prescott was spotted on Tuesday throwing passes to Amari Cooper (who is currently on the team’s PUP list) during walk-throughs. Prescott told reporters Wednesday that he is currently on a pitch count.

Expectations for the 2021 season are sky high for Prescott, who is more than nine months removed from surgery to repair the compound fracture to his right ankle. Prior to the injury, Prescott was the NFL‘s passing leader with 1,856 yards through five games. In just his second game with new head coach Mike McCarthy, Prescott became the first player to throw for 400 yards and run for three scores in the same game. In his last full game under center, Prescott threw for 502 yards and four touchdowns in a Week 4 loss to the Browns.

Despite those gaudy exceptions, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said the Cowboys need to take a conservative approach when it comes to Prescott’s recovery.

“This guy is so driven. That’s his nature is to overwork,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, via The Dallas Morning News. “He’s like Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin rolled up into one guy, his leadership, his tenacity, his skills, his desire to be great, to be the best. You really got to harness him in. My deal would be we got to be so conservative… ‘Let me roll, let me roll.’ So, we got to be very conservative with him.

“Obviously you saw him throwing the ball around. He looks great. I know some people get a little jiggy in terms of thinking it must be something or they’d have him out there. This is a long preseason, and we’re a week ahead of everybody else. He’s taken it all in as you can see out there. We’re going to bring him along and we’re going to do it the right way, and we’re going to protect him from himself.”