The Dallas Cowboys received great news Monday about the shoulder injury quarterback Dak Prescott has been rehabbing since the start of training camp. A follow-up MRI taken in Texas revealed that the right latissimus strain was healing well. Prescott participated in limited practice last week and is expected to be on the field for the Cowboys practice Monday at the Ford center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.
After less-than-optimal showings from backup QBs Gilbert Garrett and Cooper Rush, getting Prescott back will be one of the most important factors in the success of the offense. Garrett and Rush have failed to score touchdowns in two preseason games. The Cowboys’ only score was a short pass from quarterback Ben DiNucci, who has yet to secure a roster spot and likely will be headed to the practice squad in the next few weeks.
The injury to Prescott’s shoulder was initially reported as “minor” but resulted in more than two weeks of missing first team reps. Prescott was seen at training camp throwing independently with wide receiver Amari Cooper last week. Cooper is also on the mend from injuries suffered last season.
On the first defensive series of Friday night’s match versus the Arizona Cardinals, second-year defensive back Neville Gallimore suffered a gruesome injury to his elbow. An MRI has revealed that the injury was a dislocation, but no structural damage occurred. Gallimore is expected to miss six to eight weeks as the injury heals. Gallimore will not be listed on IR until the start of the season, as doing so beforehand would make him ineligible for play during the 2021 season.
Newly-signed offensive tackle Ty Nsekhe exited the game early with knee pain. Nsekhe is reported to have been dealing with a lingering injury this week. He was signed this offseason from the Buffalo Bills on a one-year, $1.75 million contract. Nsekhe struggled with injuries in Buffalo, including a season ending ankle injury in 2019.
Tight end Sean McKeon suffered an apparent high-ankle sprain against the Cardinals that will prevent him from playing for four to six weeks. McKeon is an undrafted free agent pick up from 2020 who has shown excellent ball handling skills in addition to athletic blocking in camp. McKeon has been battling with five-year veteran Jeremy Sprinkle for the TE3 slot.
Other injuries in Friday’s game that may impact roster selections in the weeks ahead include linebacker Anthony Hines III, who was carted to the locker room with a shoulder injury after the second-half kickoff, and wide receiver Malik Turner, who suffered a foot injury on an incomplete pass to the end zone. Both injuries are being treated as minor, but the missed time for both players may be crucial to making a roster spot.
The Cowboys will have a total of four preseason games in 2021 due to playing in the Hall of Fame game. With injuries striking in key areas this early, creating proper depth will be a major challenge for the team going forward, and the decision-making process is likely to show first in the roster cuts due Tuesday, Aug. 17.
