Dak Prescott has not taken a snap against an opposing defense since Oct. 11. He dislocated and fractured his right ankle in that Week 5 game against the Giants. Then, on July 28, the Cowboys quarterback pulled himself out of a training camp practice with a sore shoulder.
It is fair to ask whether Prescott is ready for Thursday’s season opener against the Buccaneers.
“From the shoulder to the leg to the mind, I’m ready to go,” Prescott said, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Prescott has rehabbed and rested and recovered for almost 11 months. Prescott said this spring that dancing on Cinco de Mayo in May gave him peace of mind that his ankle was 100 percent.
His participation in team drills was another step.
“The moment I got into any team reps, I wasn’t dialing anything down,” Prescott said, via Todd Archer ESPN. “I wasn’t trying to throw a certain amount of percentage. I think that’s just the way I play the game, I just went out there and playing within the moment, ripping passes, not thinking about it, just making the plays I needed to make. Then after two days like that realizing there wasn’t any residual effect and I wasn’t sore.”
The Cowboys went 2-3 with Prescott last season and 4-7 with three backups starting. Prescott was leading the league in passing yards when he went on injured reserve.
He did not miss a start in his first four seasons.
“I’m ready. I’m definitely ready,” Prescott said. “I’m excited. I put in a lot of work to get to this point. Whether it was months ago, just rehabbing the ankle, to the last few months keeping the feet working while I was letting my arm rest. But there was so much work that I put in this, and I’m just excited to go out there and be part of the full game, just being out there with my brothers and do something I love.”