Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has several good reasons to play Dak Prescott on Saturday against Jacksonville in the Cowboys’ preseason opener.
It’s his first time calling plays for Prescott, and the duo could use some practice time together. McCarthy has tweaked the offense, and the preseason is the perfect place to see how Prescott is adjusting to the changes.
None of that, however, is worth risking Prescott’s health. So you won’t see him in the preseason, which isn’t unusual. He hasn’t played in an NFL preseason game since throwing 14 passes in 2019. He’s too valuable to risk in a game that means nothing in the standings.
“We talked about it, but I haven’t made a decision,” McCarthy said earlier this week. “I’m leaning towards not. If I had to bet, I’d bet on no. But I don’t bet. To me, I’ve always felt that that decision goes deeper than just the quarterback or where you are with the offense.”
The risk of QBs playing in NFL preseason
McCarthy and most NFL coaches aren’t risking their most valuable commodity in games that won’t help them reach the Super Bowl.
They’re too hard to replace because it’s hard to find a good one. Consider 22 of the NFL’s 32 starting quarterbacks were first-round picks. And 14 were taken with top 10 picks, including seven selected No.1 overall.
Prescott, Minnesota’s Kirk Cousin, Washington’s Sam Howell, and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy are the only starters drafted after the fourth round.
Eight of the league’s 10 highest-rated quarterbacks were first-round picks. It’s not a coincidence.
These days quarterbacks make way too much money to risk injury. When Cleveland signed Deshaun Watson to a five-year, $230-million contract in March of 2022, it reset the quarterback market. Now, Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert each signed contracts worth more than $50 million per year.
As the money grows more significant, the desire for coaches to risk their quarterback grows smaller.
Just a few years ago, starting NFL quarterbacks used to play a series or two in the first preseason game and a quarter or more in the second game. They’d usually play a series into the third quarter to simulate halftime adjustments in the third preseason game. Then they’d sit out the last one.
Why rookie QBs need preseason work
Now, most proven starters skip the preseason. Those who do play are rookies, like Carolina’s Bryce Young, Houston’s C.J. Stroud, and Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson. All were top-five picks expected to start this season. Stroud went 2-4 for 13 yards and an interception. Young and Richardson play Saturday.
“Of course, I’m not super excited about how I played,” Stroud said after the game. “I didn’t get to play a lot, but just get my feet in the water, learn from my mistakes and just keep growing.
“It’s kind of a crazy opportunity to be able to go out, my first NFL stadium, my first NFL game, and just a lot of things that I’ve been through to just get to that moment. It was just special. Of course just wish I didn’t make one mistake on one certain play, but other than that, I thought I played solid.”
Quarterbacks such as Chicago’s Justin Fields and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett are expected to play because they’re still developing, and every rep matters.
A few veterans, such as Russell Wilson, will play because he has a new coach, a new offense, and he’s coming off an awful season.
But for the most part, you won’t see the NFL’s best quarterbacks in the preseason. The risk isn’t worth it.