Dak’s shoulder is healing well, second MRI shows

• Covered NFL since 1997, Cowboys since 2003
• Previously covered Bengals and Dolphins
• Lives in Dallas area with his wife and two children

FRISCO, Texas — The second MRI on Dak Prescott’s right latissimus strain showed what the Dallas Cowboys expected: Their quarterback is healing well.

Well enough to practice when the Cowboys get back on the field at Ford Center at The Star on Monday night for the first time this summer, or potentially see some preseason action Aug. 21 against the Houston Texans? Remains to be seen.

Prescott went through a third throwing session before the Cowboys’ 19-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals without any issue. He pulled himself from practice on July 28 because of soreness and was shut down from throwing for two weeks.

He did some light throwing on Aug. 7 and stepped up his passing on Aug. 10 off to the side with wide receiver Amari Cooper before going through the pre-practice quarterback school the next day that also included some routes on air to running backs, tight ends and receivers.

After Wednesday’s practice, Prescott said he has not felt any residual or unexpected pain after his first two throwing sessions, and he would like to play against the Texans.

“But I’ve got to keep progressing the right way,” he said. “As long as I don’t have any setbacks, when we get to that crossroads we’ll obviously talk to the doctors and coaches and figure out what’s best.”

At the start of training camp, the Cowboys said they would like Prescott to get some work in the preseason so that his first live action following last year’s dislocated and compound fracture of his right ankle would not come Sept. 9 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Executive vice president Stephen Jones said last week that would not be that important and the decision to play Prescott would also be determined by who else plays along the offensive line in the preseason game.

The strain was labeled a “baseball injury,” which is why the Cowboys consulted with the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, but all along Prescott said he could have played had the Cowboys been in the regular season.

“I think that’s because people that know me, the people who know the competitor I am, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure I’m out there,” he said. “But as I’ve said, this is something we want to nip in the bud and not let continue to linger. And I think the best way we do that is stay on the pace that I am and progress through it the right way, and once Sept. 9 comes I’ll play that game and move forward without ever thinking about this again.”

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