Dak Prescott's health situation has been one of the top stories in Cowboys camp.
The quarterback missed most of last season due to a broken ankle, and he's missed time at training camp this year due to a shoulder strain.
While it goes without saying that it's preferable to work through these issues in camp rather than during the regular season, at least one prominent NFL reporter thinks Prescott could be playing at something less than full strength all season.
“He’s not fully back," ESPN's Adam Schefter said of Prescott on Friday night, according to Pro Football Talk. "He may not be back all season long.”
It appears Schefter was merely speculating rather than reporting, but his musings seem reasonable.
Some Cowboys fans and observers have noted that Prescott's throwing motion has looked different so far this year, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders whether he's perhaps compensating for his surgically repaired ankle.
If in fact Prescott's shoulder ailment -- which Florio calls "essentially a baseball pitching injury" -- is a compensatory injury stemming from his ankle, then it suggests the ankle might not be fully healed, or perhaps Prescott just doesn't feel totally comfortable putting the usual stress on it yet.
Either case is less than ideal, obviously.
The Cowboys appear to be taking the cautious approach, indicating this week that Prescott was unlikely to appear in any preseason games while his shoulder (and perhaps the ankle) mends up.
More rest and recovery time can only help Prescott get back to full strength, but with the Cowboys' Sept. 9 opener against Tampa Bay less than three weeks away, there's also the issue of getting him back into game shape and feeling comfortable in live action.
With the nagging injuries precluding Prescott from getting his usual preseason reps, it might take him a few games to get comfortable and hit his stride, assuming his health isn't an issue by then.
Florio, for his part, thinks the Cowboys should sit Prescott for as long as needed until he's feeling better and fully confident that his body won't betray him.
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