In two of his last three seasons, Dak has been in the MVP discussion, but is 2026 the year he wins it?
OXNARD, Calif. - Whenever Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is brought up in conversation, there are usually two ways it goes.
He's a top-10-ish quarterback.
Or ...
He just downright stinks.
But the truth is, when it comes to the regular season, Dak is as good as there is. ... making it fair to say that if he's not at the top alongside the elite quarterbacks on the list, he's on the tier right underneath them.
In fact, in two of Prescott's last three seasons, he's been in the MVP discussion. In 2023, there were some who thought Dak's 4,516 yards, 36 TDs and just nine interceptions could have been good enough to win the MVP award, but Lamar Jackson got it.
Last season, Dak was in the MVP conversation again, despite the Cowboys struggling to win games, but Prescott was elite. However, as the losses piled up in the second half of the season, he was quickly dropped from the conversation, and rightly so.
But he's been there or thereabouts in the last couple of seasons. And now, as training camp practices begin here in Oxnard - with Wednesday marking Dak's 33rd birthday! - the conversation is renewed.
Which brings us to ESPN's Kevin Clark, who was on First Take recently, joining the rest of the football world in obsessing about Prescott and your Cowboys.
Does he think Dak can finally go all the way - individually - in 2026?
"I will be disappointed if in December Dak Prescott's not in the conversation," Clark said. "Doesn't mean he's going to win, but I think he's going to be top three, top five at worst. You look at his numbers last year offensively. No issue driving the ball down the field.
"Probably the best play action passer in all football for long stretches of last season. When he threw to his top targets, George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, down the field, it was about 15 yards per play when he's in play action. or video game type of numbers. I think he's unbelievable."
With Prescott going against the likes of Matthew Stafford, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and others, he's going to have to have a ridiculously grand season to usurp any of them if they all have good seasons.
Firstly, Dak has to get Dallas into the playoffs; that's the bare minimum, and along the way, he has to play well for the entire season. ... with few hiccups.
Armed with Pickens and Lamb, plus Javonte Williams and an improved defense, 2026 should be fruitful for Dak.
Now, are we saying he's going to win it? In July, that's foolish, but we agree with Clark in the sense that Prescott has to be in the conversation here at the starting line of the NFL season.
To the oddsmakers? It is a long shot for Dak to claim the award. But to us, his track record says it's viable that he can be in the conversation.
Will it happen for Prescott in 2026? The process starts in earnest today here in the warm California sun.
