Dak Prescott Injury: Cowboys Lesson For Broncos 'Bust' Russell Wilson and Shoulder 'Tear'?
As the Denver Broncos new quarterback deals with a shoulder issue, comparisons are being made to the Dallas Cowboys quarterback's old injury. And in the end ... maybe there is a reason Russell Wilson is performing for his new team as if he's a "bust.''
Wilson is apparently dealing with a strained latissimus dorsi, a problem that it is hoped will be aided by a platelet-rich plasma injection. ESPN has tried to "advance the ball'' by reporting breathlessly that the injury is a "tear,'' which is technically true ...
Because a "strain'' is a "tear.''
Meanwhile, as NFL Network notes, this is a similar issue to the one that bothered Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott a year ago at training camp. That was also a lat issue.
Is the comparison accurate? And what are the differences?
To be clear, none of this has anything to do with Dak in 2022; he will be on the sideline on Sunday in Week 5 as the 3-1 Cowboys play at the Los Angeles Rams with temp QB Cooper Rush playing in his place while Prescott - maybe just for one more week - rehabs from this thumb surgery.
But there is nevertheless a tie or two to Wilson's problem. To wit:
1) The pressure to "play hurt'' is enormous ... especially when a player's contract is enormous. Wilson, the long-time Seahawks star traded this offseason to Denver in a blockbuster deal, on Friday underwent the medical procedure designed to relieve discomfort in his right (throwing) shoulder.
It's also about trying to fix all of the things that are broken in Denver, as Wilson has so far looked nothing like the player who achieved stardom in Seattle - and who received a five-year, $245 million contract to go along with the move.
Prescott a year ago had just signed his $160 million contract ... with all the pressure to play that goes with it.
2) Rest is the real answer here. Dallas was criticized in some circles for its handling of Dak's shoulder a year ago. The decision was made to "shut him down,'' so for almost a month, Prescott did not throw while watching the Cowboys work through their preseason games without him.
Did the strategy work? Obviously, as the Cowboys had the luxury of patience - and Prescott rebounded immediately, starting in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season and leading what was in many categories the No. 1 offense in the league while playing like an MVP candidate (before a midseason calf injury slowed him down).
Unlike Prescott, Wilson and the Broncos do not have that same luxury, and therefore the plan is for the QB to continue playing in Week 6 when Denver takes on the Chargers in L.A. on Oct. 17.
Wilson, 33, appeared on the Denver injury report last week with a mention of shoulder problem, all of that after Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett conceded that he was "dinged up" following the team's Week 4 loss to the Raiders.
Through five games, Wilson's Broncos are 2-3 and his numbers - including a 59.4 completion percentage and a 82.8 passer rating - are career lows.
Seattle, of course, has moved on, with journeyman Geno Smith playing at a high level as the Seahawks enter Week 5 with a 2-2 record and a meeting with the Saints.
Meanwhile, Denver cannot really "move on'' without the beleaguered Wilson ... and the Cowboys are once again benefitting from the patience of waiting on Prescott.
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