Cowboys: Dak Prescott had another ankle surgery in December

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott underwent a second ankle surgery back in December.

With Super Bowl 55 in the books, the NFL now braces for what is expected to be a wild and unpredictable offseason. The Dallas Cowboys were one of the biggest spenders last year, hoping that it would land them a spot in the big game. That was not the case, as the defense was atrocious and starting quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a compound fracture and a dislocation of his right ankle back in Week 5 against the New York Giants. As it turns out, Prescott underwent more than one surgery on his ankle.

According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, Prescott underwent a second procedure on his right ankle in December after his initial surgery in October. This new surgery was performed with the purpose of strengthening his deltoid ligament, cleaning out the ankle and to fix issues from previous injuries spotted by doctors in the first procedure.

Prescott prepping for important offseason

Doctors held off on fixing the previous injuries to ensure there was no risk of Prescott picking up an infection. The two NFL Media insiders said that Prescott took a week off from rehabilitation following the December procedure and is currently walking without any issues, setting him up to be ready for next season.

Prescott is entering an important offseason, as he is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent. Pelissero and Rapoport heard from their sources that the Cowboys will try to sign Prescott to a long-term contract extension prior to the March 9 franchise tag deadline. If they are unable to reach an agreement, much like last year, they will put the $37.7 million tender on Prescott.

The team placed the franchise tag on him last offseason, paying him $31.4 million for the 2020 campaign. The two sides did try to reach an agreement on a new deal by the July 15 deadline, but were unable to cross the finish line before the clock struck 4:00 p.m. ET.

This past season, Prescott was arguably the lone bright spot for the Cowboys in the first five weeks of the season. In his five games of action, Prescott completed 68.0-percent of his passes for 1,856 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions, while rushing for 93 yards and three scores on 18 carries. After his injury, the Cowboys leaned upon Andy Dalton, Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci under center.

With this second surgery, Prescott is on pace to suit up for the Cowboys for the 2021 regular-season opener. Now, it will be a matter of if Prescott will be signed on for just next season or for much longer. It is something to keep an eye on entering the new league year.