OXNARD, Calif. - When everything was said and done at the end of the 2020 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys were an average-to-below-average offensive team. That's not the plan for 2021. Dak Prescott is fully recovered from his ankle injury to start training camp. Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and La'el Collins are recovered from their 2020 injuries. Blake Jarwin expects to play Week 1 after missing 2020 with an ACL injury. And Ezekiel Elliott showed up to camp in seemingly terrific physical condition.
In other words, as Dak Prescott said in his Friday press conference, the "band is back together." Prescott was referring specifically to being back on the field and having his veteran offensive linemen there to protect him, but moments later he reiterated that he believed it would all add up to one big goal: an unstoppable offense.
"Stats; scoring; whatever; we want to be the best offense in the NFL," Prescott said.
The one healthy aspect of the team in 2020 was the team's wide receivers. The Cowboys arguably have the best receiver trio in the league, but without Prescott throwing to them and a healthy offensive line to give them time to run their routes, there was a ceiling to the impact they could make. Now, that ceiling has been removed. Prescott made clear, though, that Elliott would help unlock the offense's potential and help the defense get rest.
"We can definitely be explosive in the passing game. This passing game can be limitless, but we have to be balanced. The pass game and the run game. It's about playing complementary football."
Prescott's contract situation and ankle injury were huge question marks six months ago. Neither are holding him back now. The new big question is much more interesting: Will defenses be able to keep up?
"First and foremost, [we want to be] the best offense in the NFL," the quarterback reiterated.
