Cowboys’ Prescott assumes leadership role
He split time with 3rd string last year
FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott chuckled at the thought of watching film from the offseason this time a year ago, when he said he was in charge for two plays in an entire practice. Two. Of course, the Dallas quarterback is getting more reps now after one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history kept Tony Romo on the bench, and eventually sent the 10-year starter to the broadcast booth. It’s Prescott’s team now, and there aren’t any more questions about Romo.
“Literally, he was splitting reps with the third group last year at this time,” offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said Wednesday after the second offseason practice. “Now he’s taking all the reps with the 1s. That’s a big difference, right?”
One thing is the same: Kellen Moore is the backup. Moore’s injury early in training camp last year started the chain of events that led to Prescott guiding the Cowboys to a franchise-record 11-game winning streak and the NFC’s top seed before a divisional playoff loss to Green Bay.
The most significant event was Romo’s back injury in a preseason game, which thrust Prescott into
the starting role. He’s not one to dwell on how he can improve on such a startling debut. Prescott is already wired to think that way.
“I don’t look back on the good,” said Prescott , who was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year as he set several rookie records, topped by a passer rating of 104.9. “The loss motivates you. The loss pushes you forward more than anything.”
The Cowboys measure their players with NFL combine-type drills each offseason, and quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said Prescott improved in several areas, including strength and speed.
Prescott’s intangibles caught the team’s attention long before Romo’s injury, and were part of the reason the Cowboys were willing to let him start until Romo was ready to return. When Romo was ready, the Cowboys didn’t seem to think there was much of a decision to make.
“As the year went on last year, he definitely grasped more of the mantle of leadership,” coach Jason Garrett said. “People gravitate toward him. That is one of things that everybody at Mississippi State told us about him right from the start. And we have certainly seen that here.”
While Romo, the lead NFL analyst for CBS, prepared for a weekend appearance with his new employer at the PGA Tour event in Fort Worth, Prescott ran a huddle that was missing fellow rookie sensation Ezekiel Elliott.
The defending NFL rushing champion was a passenger in a minor car accident Sunday night and is sitting out the first week of offseason practices with mild soreness. Elliott bumped his head, but running backs coach Gary Brown said Elliott doesn’t have a concussion.
A year ago, the Cowboys were cautious with Elliott in the offseason because they figured he would be their lead back. They also thought Prescott would be learning as the No. 3 quarterback.
“The No. 1 way to get better is number of reps,” Prescott said. “And just me having a good bit of those this offseason is just going to allow me to get better in my footwork.”
LIONS: Coach Jim Caldwell said Wednesday the entire organization, from owner Martha Ford on down, is concerned about comments Calvin Johnson made recently about his unhappiness with the way he was treated after he retired.
“I think all of us within the organization, top to bottom, Mrs. Ford down through Bob (Quinn) and the Ford children, everybody, we’re all concerned about any time we hear one of our alumni aren’t happy, particularly with how we feel about our alumni around here,” Caldwell said.
Johnson, the best receiver in franchise history, retired after nine NFL seasons in March 2016 and was forced to repay a portion of the signing bonus ($320,000) he received in 2012 to the team before he left. He told the Free Press over the weekend he “didn’t feel like I was treated the way I should have been treated on the way out.”
BROWNS: Cleveland is not taking any chances with Myles Garrett, its No. 1 draft pick and $30 million investment.
Garrett is being kept off the practice field by the team this week because of an unspecified injury. The former Texas A&M star would not disclose his medical issue Wednesday, but said it’s nothing significant.
VIKINGS: Teddy Bridgewater has reached the point in rehabilitation where he’s able to drop back to pass on his surgically repaired left knee.
Just when the 24-year-old quarterback might return to live action remains largely unknown.