Mike McCarthy believes Cowboys QB Dak Prescott ‘is having his best offseason program that we’ve had’ together

FRISCO, Texas — The 2024 Dallas Cowboys enter next season and beyond with almost as much uncertainty as any NFL team in recent memory.

Head coach Mike McCarthy and his entire staff are entering the final year of their contracts, as are nearly every key contributor across all three phases – offense, defense and special teams. Not to mention, the Cowboys are in the process of replacing eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith and Pro Bowl center Tyler Biadasz with a couple of rookies — offensive tackle Tyler Guyton (29th overall pick in 2024). NFL Draft) and interior offensive lineman Cooper Beebe (73rd overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft) and replacing Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard with ANDZekiel Elliott on his second mission in Dallas, as well as a litany of other young backs.

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2025 Offseason

“I think you can leave the contract part aside,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday at minicamp when asked if he had ever entered a season with as much uncertainty as that surrounding the campaign. 2024 Cowboys. “These conversations were not easy. Nobody wants to have a one-year contract. We all understand that and the emotion it causes your family and so on. you define things, there is work to do.

“I understand what it looks like, what it might look like on that side, understanding the lack of moves that are made,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said Wednesday. “It makes for great conversation.”

McCarthy highlighted quarterback Prescott’s balanced production throughout the Cowboys’ offseason program as an example of his team’s resolve amid an uncertain future.

“I think Dak is having his best offseason program we’ve ever had, and he’s had really good offseason programs this whole time (since McCarthy became Cowboys coach in 2020),” McCarthy said. and the defenders really nailed it. I am very impressed with the quality of the work. … I think the offensive perimeter group and the defensive backs have really come into their own in this offseason program. I think we’ve definitely made a step forward.”

Prescott agreed with his coach’s assessment, attributing his and the offense’s high-quality work partially to having another layer of comfort in McCarthy’s offense, with the coach entering his second season serving as the Cowboys’ offensive play-caller.

“We’re in a much better place now than we were a year ago,” Prescott said. … “It’s about continuing to take those steps. Second year in Mike’s offense. Last year at this time was the first time you heard these things.”

The offense is now graded at the Class 101 level of McCarthy’s offense after a 2023 in which they led the NFL in offensive scoring (29.9 points per game), with Prescott leading the NFL in touchdown passes (36) and Lamb leading the league in receptions (135). Prescott isn’t wasting as much brain power this off-season thinking about his footwork on every play, the same goes for his receivers in absorbing play calls and breaking up confusion quicker.

“You’re at the 500 level now,” Prescott said. “You’re talking about these specific plays and game situations, downs and distances, not just the breaks and the lineouts and things like that. We’re getting into the nitty-gritty details… being in the second year, everything is faster.”

Another factor in the increased offensive comfort is the need for the Cowboys to achieve a significant level of internal improvement after an offseason in which Dallas saw eight players, including five starters, leave in free agency, tied for the third-most player departures. of season in a single offseason in franchise history. Additionally, Prescott and most of the Cowboys’ crucial contributors mentioned above are playing to earn their next contract in the 2024 season. Dallas’ entire quarterback position room is set to become free agents next offseason.

“We all understand the urgency of getting better,” Prescott said.

The quarterback tried to consider the greater urgency as a positive, something that will certainly be judged next season.

“It’s just the urgency you always have to have, to be honest,” Prescott said, trying to downplay his lack of length. “So maybe guys who wouldn’t normally feel it will.”

Prescott, who said the deal in relation to his potential contract extension “go take care of yourself” at OTAs two weeks ago, maintained a similar air of calm when discussing his upcoming business venture on Wednesday.

“I don’t care. I’ve been in this position before,” Prescott said, alluding to being franchise tagged twice before signing a four-year, $160 million extension in 2021. “I’m a player. Will bet.” in me and my boys…”

The quarterback paused and quickly explained his comments about betting on himself.

“Not really, guys,” Prescott said with a laugh. “I understand there was a lot of shit with this. Not like that.”

The next step for Prescott and the Cowboys’ improved cast of playmakers is the annual road trip the quarterback takes with his pass catchers to fine-tune their chemistry before training camp. Then, the new dad will take some time off from girlfriend Sarah Jane and daughter MJ before heading to Oxnard, Calif., for training camp at the end of July. The last part of Prescott’s schedule during the month-and-a-half break from minicamp to training camp looks a little different than it did eight years ago in the quarterback’s 2016 rookie season, something Best friend and defensive teammate Ezekiel Elliott noted on Wednesday.

“He’s grown as a leader, as a person,” Elliott said. “He is a father now. We are growing. We are getting old. I’m so proud of Dak and how far he’s come. I know he still has more in him.”

How far Prescott can lead the Cowboys in 2024 will heavily determine how much of the infrastructure from the Cowboys’ run of three consecutive 12-win seasons will remain in 2025 and beyond.