Cowboys' Dak Prescott Urged to Unlock ‘New Dimension' in 2026

Dak Prescott is 32 years old, and he’s still one of the best pocket passers in the NFL, coming off one of the best seasons of his career.

Appearing in all 17 games last year, Prescott threw for 4,552 yards, the third-most in the NFL, along with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He completed 67.3% of his passes and finished with a 70.2 QBR, the fifth-highest mark in the league.

He was the only quarterback in the NFL to have two 1,000-yard receivers, with both George Pickens (1,429) and CeeDee Lamb (1,077) ranking near the top of the league in receiving yards.

While the end result was a losing 7-9-1 record, the defense was shuffling personnel around all season, and it was the first year under head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Expectations are much higher heading into 2026.

On Monday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler ranked the top 10 QBs in the league for 2026 after surveying executives, coaches, and scouts from around the league, and placed Prescott No. 6 overall.

“He’s a true, acute progression passer,” an NFL coordinator told Folwer. “There are only so many of those types. He can read the whole field, from pre- to post-snap. He’s just really a good commander of the offense.”

Meanwhile, another unnamed AFC offensive coach highlighted one area of Prescott’s game that could use some improvement and might add “a new dimension” to the Dallas Cowboys‘ offense in 2026.

“I think he can use his athleticism even more and run for first downs,” the coach said. “That would give [the Cowboys] a new dimension.”

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The biggest problem for Dallas last year was the defense. It was a unit that allowed a league-worst 30.1 points per game, and something that both Prescott and Schottenheimer referred to as “frustrating” after the season was over.

Things should be much better in 2026. It will be the first full year with Pro Bowlers Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark, they added Dee Winters and Rashan Gary in the offseason and selected All-American safety Caleb Downs No. 11 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. DeMarvion Overshown is healthy, Donovan Ezeiruaku is evolving, and they’ve got playmakers in the backfield.

Offensively, they’re getting back all their starters from last year in Prescott, Pickens, Lamb, tight end Jake Ferguson, and running back Javonte Williams, who had a career year last season with 1,201 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

The offense is already dangerous, but there’s a belief it could be even better if Prescott can lean on his legs more.

He rushed for just 177 yards last season, the lowest mark of his career over a full 17-game season. Prescott earned Pro Bowl honors in 2016, 2018, and 2023, leading one of the league’s best offenses. In each of those seasons, the Cowboys won at least 10 games and reached the playoffs, and Prescott rushed for between 240 and 300 yards.

If the Cowboys’ defense improves the way many expect, there should be less pressure on the offense to carry the team every week. That could create the ideal environment for what might be the most complete season of Prescott’s career.

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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 11:43 AM.