Dak Prescott suffered a gruesome ankle injury while scrambling that ended his 2020 season back on October, and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes the quarterback has to change how he approaches the game as a runner to prolong his career.
Making his weekly appearance on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday, Jones noted how “effective” Prescott can be when he escapes the pocket, either through improvisation and by design. However, Jones noted that he’s “always known that he couldn’t do that like that for long in the NFL.”
Jones also noted how Russell Wilson proves that a quarterback can remain mobile but still learn how to avoid taking punishing hits in the open field.
Given how Prescott suffered a compound right ankle fracture and dislocation when he was tackled awkwardly by New York Giants free safety Logan Ryan on a scramble back in Week 5, Jones’ observations certainly resonate.
In his four-plus seasons as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, Prescott has carried the ball 259 times for 1,314 yards and 24 touchdowns. Removing the threat of how Prescott can punish defenses with his feet would take way a huge part of what makes him such a dangerous quarterback.
With that in mind, Jones is correct in saying the star signal-caller needs to learn how to protect his body while still pulling down the football and racking up rushing yards. While not an easy task, obviously, it’s an important lesson for Prescott — who recently revealed his rehabilitation is progressing nicely following surgery, it merits noting — to learn upon his return.
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