Dak Prescott is back, to do ‘most of the work’ in Cowboys camp, per McCarthy

The weekend was for the rookies at The Star in Frisco. Thirty-one players consisting of the Cowboys’ draft picks, undrafted free agents, tryout invitees, and practice squad/futures contract guys went through the offseason’s first work sessions with Dallas coaches at the team facility.

And while a couple quarterback prospects were in attendance and participating with the crop of newbies in these early drills, the veteran starter looks to be inching closer to his return to the field. Dak Prescott is right on track in his injury rehab, according to head coach Mike McCarthy, and should be medically cleared to start training camp with the rest of the team.

“I have no reason not to think that,” McCarthy told reporters over the weekend after one of the team’s minicamp sessisons. “I think this week and Phase Two [of the team’s offseason program] will be a nice step in that direction.”

Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in October of last year, then underwent a subsequent cleanup surgery in December. He has maintained that his recovery has been ahead of schedule, with McCarthy echoing that sentiment whenever asked.

The team has seemed to show faith in that diagnosis, letting last year’s backup Andy Dalton leave as a free agent and electing to not take a passer in this year’s draft. Garrett Gilbert, Ben DiNucci, and Cooper Rush remain on the roster, but the Cowboys brought in former Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett and Illinois State alum Brady Davis for the weekend work.

“Gives you a chance to look at the young prospects,” McCarthy said of the quarterbacks’ presence at minicamp. “”It’s just part of the evaluation. J.T. was in here last week and had an excellent workout. I’ve had a chance to watch him through college and his time down there in New Orleans [on the Saints’ practice squad]. And Brady has a neat story; I thought he clearly took a jump from yesterday’s work to today’s work.”

It could be a crowded field jockeying for the clipboard duties behind Prescott, but McCarthy expects his starter, fresh off signing his mega-contract in March, to be physically ready to handle the majority of his responsibilities come OTA workouts, which are slated to begin for the Cowboys on May 24.

“I think he’ll do most things,” McCarthy said. “There’s a plan in place that’s coordinated with [athletic trainers] Britt [Bowman] and Jim [Maurer] in the training room. But I know he feels really good. He’s had some excellent workouts here in the last couple weeks. I see him doing most of the work.”

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