Dak's Week Off: Cowboys Protecting QB Prescott from ... Himself

It was already planned that the Dallas Cowboys would be without the services of starting quarterback Dak Prescott as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday in the NFL preseason-opening Hall of Fame game in Canton.

His shoulder strain gives them an additional reason for what head coach Mike McCarthy on Tuesday at training camp in Oxnard labeled a "step-back'' in the direction of "caution.''

Later, McCarthy offered up another bit of logic that likely adds up to Dak also serving as an observer for the weekend's scheduled practice with the Los Angeles Rams.

“Really,'' the coach said, "we’re just protecting Dak from himself.''

Makes sense. It is almost certainly Prescott's over-exuberant work ethic that led to the muscle strain in his lat (in his back, attached to the shoulder). And it is almost certainly rest - maybe just for another week - that will ease the discomfort.

"He just always wants to be at the forefront of everything, and it’s a big part of his leadership style and his personality,'' McCarthy said of Dak's style while on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio. "But yeah, we’re just being smart with this injury.”

The original plan, we've been told, was for Prescott to play in the second preseason game, Aug. 13 at Arizona. At this point, all we know for certain is that the Cowboys do fully expect Prescott to play in at least one of the remaining exhibition games.

But he won’t be throwing any (right-handed) passes this week as the franchise turns its attention to the trip to Ohio on Wednesday for Thursday’s game, to the evaluation of younger prospects, and in a big-picture way, to the weekend ceremonies, which will see former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson and former players Cliff Harris and Drew Pearson inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.