The Dak Prescott surgical procedure situation will start. Though rumors a couple of potential late-season return emerged, Prescott’s hamstring damage will in the end shut him down.
A round of medical opinions will lead Prescott to the operating table, with Jerry Jones confirming during a 105.3 The Fan appearance (h/t The Athletic’s Jon Machota) that his quarterback will bear surgical procedure in New York on Wednesday.
Contemplating the Cowboys’ trajectory and the character of Prescott’s damage, it isn’t too shocking that is how his season will finish. The Cowboys will follow Cooper Rush within the rapid aftermath of a blowout loss to the Eagles, although veteran Cowboys reporter Newy Scruggs adds the workforce is bringing in Will Grier to affix its apply squad. The Eagles launched Grier from their P-squad final week.
Prescott, 31, is believed to have suffered a partial avulsion of his hamstring tendon. Reminding considerably of the damage that price Tyron Smith most of his 2022 season, Prescott’s illness prompted visits with a number of medical doctors — including one in New York. That assembly will present the impetus for the ninth-year QB to wrap up his season. This may go down as a wildly profitable Prescott 12 months on the contract entrance however a poor efficiency.
Prescott signed a four-year, $240M extension that raised the QB market by a staggering $5M in terms of AAV — Prescott ranked twenty fifth in QBR when he went down in the course of the Cowboys’ Week 9 recreation towards the Falcons. A scramble produced the hamstring illness, and Prescott winced as he tried a subsequent move. The Cowboys actually wanted Prescott to salvage what appears like a misplaced season. With Rush on the controls in entrance of Trey Lance, Dallas is probably going barreling towards a regime change resulting from Mike McCarthy‘s lame-duck standing.
The 2020s have introduced excessive vacillations for Prescott, who has signed two player-friendly extensions in the course of the decade. A fractured ankle — an damage that has affected the QB within the years since — shut down Dallas’ starter in 2020, whereas he then powered the workforce to a No. 1 offensive rating throughout a 12-5 2021 season. Whereas the Cowboys repeated their 12-5 document in 2022, Prescott led the NFL in INTs (15) upon getting back from an early-season thumb damage. The previous Offensive Rookie of the 12 months bounced again final 12 months, incomes second-team All-Professional standing earlier than one other regression outlined his 2024 displaying.
When Prescott went down in 2020, the Cowboys sank to 6-10. This preceded a 7-9 Washington workforce successful the NFC East. The Cowboys and Eagles yo-yoed within the division over the following three seasons, however McCarthy is sort of actually on his means out after this one. Dallas now sits 3-6 and can play 10 video games with out its beginning QB this season. Jones endured regular criticism for his roster development this 12 months, as his Prescott and CeeDee Lamb extensions got here because the owner-operated passively at different positions. Consequently, McCarthy’s successor will probably have a top-10 decide to make use of in April.
Grier spent nearly two years with the Cowboys, arriving as a waiver claim in 2021 and staying on until not being retained on the 2023 roster coming out of camp. The previous third-round decide rejoined Kellen Moore with the Chargers to shut final season, following Bengals and Patriots stints, and caught on with the ex-Dallas OC in Philly this offseason. Grier will spherical out Dallas’ QB room, which stays fronted by Rush, who has been Prescott’s backup for many of the former fourth-round discover’s profession.
Given the Cowboys ‘ state of affairs, it could stand to motive Lance would obtain prolonged time shifting ahead, however McCarthy confirmed Rush would see at least one more start. Lance’s rookie contract expires at season’s finish, whereas Rush’s two-year, $4M deal additionally wraps after this marketing campaign.
Because of the mammoth re-up he inked in September, Prescott is tied to the Cowboys by way of the 2028 slate. The most recent Prescott deal options no-tag and no-trade clauses. The contract will must be adjusted in 2025, because it carries an untenable $89.9M cap quantity.
