The Cowboys hope to contend for an NFC crown in 2024. To do so, they'll need their star gunslinger, Dak Prescott.
Prescott, 31, was one of football's best hurlers last season, completing 69.5% of his passes for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns en route to a second-place finish in MVP voting — but a first-round playoff loss.
Still, any chance of Dallas exorcising its postseason demons and making a deep run hinges greatly on Prescott's ability to perform. The opening few weeks of preseason will certainly generate some concerns for the nine-year veteran, who has been felled with an ankle injury and has yet to take the field in an official game.
The Sporting News has the latest on Prescott's injury concerns.
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Dak Prescott injury update
Prescott missed out on the franchise's last practice prior to their duel with the Rams on Aug. 11, though he played in the preseason game against Los Angeles.
While some believed Prescott was taking space in the hopes of convincing his employers to offer him a gaudy contract, Prescott's absence actually stemmed from ankle soreness.
The star quarterback confirmed to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he was held out of Friday's practice out of precaution after feeling soreness in his right ankle. He also revealed that he was not wearing a walking boot, as some may have believed.
Prescott's ankle has been of great interest to Dallas fans throughout the offseason. He was photographed on vacation in Mexico sporting a walking boot. That right ankle is the same one that Prescott dislocated in gruesome fashion during a meeting with the Giants back in 2020.
Prescott returned to the field Wednesday after playing in the Cowboys' 13-12 loss to the Rams. He had some good moments for Dallas during the scrimmage against Los Angeles, including this toss to Brandin Cooks. But the first-team offense looked less than sharp overall.
Dak Prescott finds Brandin Cooks down the left sideline pic.twitter.com/i5cM3gdOzL
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) August 14, 2024
Cowboys QB depth chart
Prescott enters the season as the Cowboys' franchise quarterback, though he and the Dallas fanbase are still waiting on a contract extension. Cooper Rush and Trey Lance are slated to serve as his backups in 2024.
| Position | First | Second | Third |
| Quarterback | Dak Prescott | Cooper Rush | Trey Lance |
MORE PRESEASON: Week 1 rookie QB grades | Week 1 overreactions
Cowboys preseason schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent/results | Time (ET) |
| 1 | Aug. 11 | Rams 13, Cowboys 12 | — |
| 2 | Aug. 17 | Cowboys at Raiders | 10 p.m. |
| 3 | Aug. 24 | Chargers at Cowboys | 4 p.m. |
