OXNARD, Cali. – The Cowboys will take a "more conservative" timeline with Dak Prescott's shoulder strain, and he will not practice Tuesday or play in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game, head coach Mike McCarthy said.
"We still feel the same about the type of injury, but we're just being more conservative with the timeline," McCarthy said.
Prescott has not experienced a setback in his recovery, but the starting quarterback has been limited to non-throwing drills since experiencing tightness in his throwing shoulder last Wednesday, the first padded practice of training camp. An MRI that afternoon revealed only a muscle strain.
McCarthy didn't give an exact timetable last week but estimated that Prescott would not throw for a few days. The Cowboys remain hopeful that he can play at some point in preseason.
"After research and looking at it, we just don't want this to turn into something big," McCarthy said Tuesday. "He's doing everything that he possibly can. But we're just being a little more conservative with the rehab.
"If it were in-season, I think it would be a different outlook. But because of where we are, having the extra week (of preseason), we just want to make sure this doesn't turn into something bigger."
Prescott said last week that the injury likely would not have sidelined him if it were a game situation.
"I doubt it," Prescott said. "I know we're early. It's early in training camp. I'm obviously trying to get to the season and get to the season healthy. That was the main reason … I doubt in a game that (an absence) happens."
Backup Garrett Gilbert has taken the first-team quarterback reps the last four practices, followed by Cooper Rush and Ben DiNucci. All three are expected to play in Thursday's Hall of Fame preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Canton, Ohio.
The Cowboys will practice Tuesday before making the trip. The players have a day off Friday following the game. Saturday is a scheduled joint practice with the L.A. Rams here in Oxnard. Then it's a three-day stretch of practices (Aug. 10-12) before the team breaks camp.
