Mike McCarthy likes what he’s seeing from Dak Prescott this spring.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, the Dallas Cowboys head coach praised his starting quarterback’s work during offseason activities and this week’s mandatory minicamp. He touted Prescott’s rapport with the wide receivers despite CeeDee Lamb’s absence.
“I think Dak is having his best offseason program that we’ve had, and he’s had really good offseason programs the whole time,” McCarthy said, per Nick Harris of the team site. “This atmosphere that we’ve practiced in, the receivers and the quarterback have really hit the mark. I’m very impressed with the quality of work.”
Prescott agreed with McCarthy’s assessment, saying he’s felt more comfortable starting his second year running the coach’s offense.
“It’s what I put into this game,” Prescott said. “It’s what this game means to me. I talk about it every offseason. My focus is always getting better overall in every way that I can, every aspect of my game, and making sure I push the other people around me. Mike’s comments are a result of us doing that.”
It’d certainly behoove Prescott to also have his best season during a contract year. Yet he’ll have a high bar to clear after finishing second to Lamar Jackson in last season’s MVP voting with 4,516 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and a 105.9 quarterback rating.
Although plenty of observers will call this a huge season for Prescott and McCarthy, the quarterback doesn’t feel any extra pressure to deliver during the final year of his deal.
“This is the urgency you should always have, to be honest,” Prescott said, as transcribed by The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “Maybe guys who wouldn’t normally feel it, feel it. I don’t mind it. I’ve been in this position before. I’m a gambling man. I’ll gamble on myself and my guys.”