The 27-year-old Dak Prescott has been one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys in recent seasons and has already started to generate conversation around all-time great status if he can keep this sort of form going for the next 5-10 seasons. However, before we get there, it is important to focus on the present, and at the moment, there are concerns around whether he will be fully fit by the time the 2021 season starts, having suffered a compound fracture and ankle dislocation to his right ankle in Week 5 of the 2020 season.
Prescott suffered this injury against the New York Giants, and subsequently underwent surgery, which ended his season, and now sees himself trying to make it back in time for the 2021 campaign.
The most recent reports are that he has begun to get back to physical drills on the field, with the aim to also get his mental and psychological state back to full health as well. He participated in organized team activities at the Ford Center just a few days ago, in full gear with a helmet on, and this was the first time that he was throwing live passes to receivers since the injury.
However, it must be remembered that this was an extremely severe injury, needing another operation in December to strengthen the ankle, and Prescott is understandably cautious about his recovery, not wanting to jeopardize his future career.
It was also notable that the Cowboys finished third in their NFC East group without Prescott, underlining just how crucial he is to the team.
He was leading the league in passing yards when he got injured, and it is the ability to deliver this sort of impact that has led the franchise to place the exclusive franchise tag on him for the second year in a row, also signing him to a new four-year deal worth $160 million, of which $126 million is guaranteed. His availability will therefore have a huge impact on the Cowboys' prospects, and also on the betting markets – odds on Cowboys' matches on sites such as sportfogadas.net are likely to be quite different depending on whether Prescott is playing or not.
The 27-year-old has been a Pro Bowler twice already and won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award in his debut season back in 2016, so his quality has been there for everyone to see for years now.
It is no surprise that the Cowboys are so dependent on him, and it is a sign of their faith that he will be back to his best that they gave him such a lucrative contract while he was still recovering from this serious injury. Prescott will be looking to repay this faith on the field as soon as possible, and fans of the franchise as well as the NFL will be looking forward to seeing him in action again.
