Cowboys HC Hypes Dak Prescott for Having 'Best Offseason Program That We've Had'

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is "having his best offseason program that we've had" in the eyes of head coach Mike McCarthy.

McCarthy told reporters the three-time Pro Bowler is displaying the sharpest connection with the receivers he has seen since he became the head coach in 2020.

"The connection with the perimeter realm is better," McCarthy said. "They're playing with more urgency, they're getting more reps, the timing is better... What we've set out to accomplish, we've hit that target."

You can only ever put so much stock into what coaches and players say during the offseason because they're always going to accentuate the positive or emphasize all of the good changes to come.

Remember when McCarthy gave the impression the running game would be a bigger focus in 2023? Prescott still had the fourth-most attempts (590) of any quarterback, and Dallas' volume of carries dropped from 531 in 2022 to 468.

Of course, it's totally possible Prescott has attacked the offseason with a renewed sense of focus given the stakes of this year.

McCarthy is pretty much coaching for his job after team owner Jerry Jones declined to extend his contract. It increasingly looks like Prescott is playing for his next contract, too. He's due to be a free agent in 2025 with negotiations continuing to drag on.

Even assuming the 30-year-old has a new deal, he'll be eager to shake the label he can't win the big one. Should the Cowboys once again fall short of reaching the Super Bowl, it will further embolden his biggest skeptics regardless of the numbers he puts up.