OXNARD, Calif. -- Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said quarterback Dak Prescott has done some "light throwing" for the first time since leaving practice July 28 with a latissimus strain in his right shoulder.
McCarthy followed up with a reference to "light objects," which could mean it was not a regulation football, and did not have a firm timetable as to when Prescott will return fully to practice.
"We'll see how his progression goes," McCarthy said. "He's doing some things as far as throwing and everything is on a rep count, so ..."
McCarthy again emphasized Prescott, who did not travel to Canton, Ohio, for the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, is improving.
"Definitely him staying back, he was able to get some extra treatment, do some extra things," McCarthy said. "Once again, this is more us than him. This is us being cautious, so I feel really good about where he is."
Prescott has missed the past five full practices after taking himself out of the July 28 session with soreness. The day after the injury was announced, McCarthy said Prescott would throw in a "few days," but he later said the team changed the time frame of a return to be more conservative.
While he has not thrown extensively, Prescott has taken part in footwork drills and gone through extensive conditioning work. His surgically repaired right ankle has not been an issue at all during training camp.
When Prescott returns to practice or plays in the preseason is a question. McCarthy has altered the players' schedule, moving Tuesday's practice to more of a morning walk-through instead of a full-padded effort. The Cowboys have just one more normal practice, Wednesday, while in Oxnard, California, and play at the Arizona Cardinals on Friday.
It is doubtful the Cowboys would play Prescott in that game with just one practice after a two-week layoff. They play their third preseason game Aug. 21 against the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium, which would allow Prescott to get a number of practices in before what McCarthy said will be his team's regular-season dress rehearsal.
Despite being mostly a spectator in Saturday's work against the Los Angeles Rams, Prescott was highly engaged and encouraging teammates at every turn.
"He's champing at the bit, so we're obviously going to be excited when he gets back out there," right guard Zack Martin said. "But we know he's got to take the time to get right and get 100 percent ready."