Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Likely To Be Placed On IR

The hamstring injury which forced Dak Prescott to exit Dallas’ Week 9 loss threatens to sideline him for a notable stretch. Owner Jerry Jones said on Tuesday (via Jon Machota of The Athletic) the team’s franchise quarterback is likely headed to injured reserve.

Testing which took place yesterday revealed the injury is worse than the Cowboys originally thought. As a result, a multi-game absence was already expected, but that would be ensured by a stint on IR. Such a move would leave Prescott unavailable for at least the team’s next four contests, a stretch which includes games against each of the other three teams in the NFC East.

Given their current state of affairs, the Cowboys – losers of three straight – would have faced a difficult path back to postseason contention even with Prescott available. With him out of the fold for any notable period, attention would no doubt quickly turn to the offseason with a playoff berth becoming increasingly out of reach. Of course, Prescott’s absence would create opportunities for Cooper Rush (and potentially Trey Lance) to see time under center.

2020 marked the first and only time (for now, at least) that Prescott found himself on IR. He managed to miss only five contests since then prior to Sunday’s hamstring injury, one which represents an unwanted development on a number of fronts. Sitting at 3-5 on the year, Dallas already faced a steep climb to a wild-card spot, and reaching the postseason will be more difficult without last year’s MVP runner up in the lineup. Prescott secured an historic extension on the eve of the regular season, landing a four-year pact averaging $60MM per year – a $5MM bump from the previous top of the QB market.

Given the massive financial investment made in Prescott, his health over the long and short term will remain a central priority for the Cowboys. In his absence, Rush, 30, will look to add further to his 30 career appearances (including six starts) ahead of a trip to free agency. Lance is also on track to reach the open market this spring, and he could rebuild his value to a degree by seeing game action in Prescott’s absence.

Wideout CeeDee Lamb‘s AC joint sprain is not seen as serious, and he may be able to suit up in Week 10 against the Eagles. The same could also be true of edge rusher Micah Parsons, whose return would mark a notable boost on defense. In spite of that, the Cowboys’ chances of turning their season around are on track to take a hit with a Prescott IR stint.