Dak Prescott aiming to beat timetable for return from ankle surgery

Playing under the franchise tag this season, Prescott hoped to deliver another monster performance on his way to a multiyear contract. Unfortunately, everything came apart against the New York Giants when his leg caught underneath him, and he suffered the gruesome ankle injury. The Cowboys rushed their star quarterback to a local hospital immediately, where he underwent surgery within hours to address the compound fracture. 

While it’s a long road ahead for the star passer, he is reportedly already working toward a return, as Tom Pelissero said on "NFL GameDay Morning":

“Doctors have told Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, he is facing a four-to-six month recovery after undergoing surgery last Sunday for a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle. One person with knowledge of the surgery told me it was clean, there was nothing unexpected. In fact, Dak has already told people he believes he can beat that four-to-six month timetable.”

A four-to-six month timetable would put Prescott on track to be cleared for football activities in April or May. In an ideal scenario, assuming the NFL doesn’t experience a coronavirus-impacted offseason, that would give him plenty of time to be ready for training camp.

Of course, Prescott’s long-term future in Dallas would still be uncertain. He is eligible to become a free agent this offseason and would attract interest from plenty of teams, even after suffering this kind of injury. However, the Cowboys reportedly have no intention to let him leave.

The likeliest scenario might be another franchise tag. Placing the tag on Prescott for a second time would result in him being owed $37 million for the 2021 season on a one-year deal. It might be the preferred outcome for both sides. Prescott would secure $37 million and have the chance to prove himself once again, while the Cowboys avoided a long-term commitment until they see him play after the surgery.