The Dallas Cowboys offense last season was like a Big Bang Theory rerun—predictable, quite stale, and missing that Sheldon-level spark. Enter Klayton Adams, the team’s new offensive coordinator, who’s swapping laugh tracks for highlight reels. With a playbook that’s not quite suitable, Adams is here to shake things up.

But there’s a catch—Dak Prescott isn’t exactly the dual-threat QB Adams once coached in Arizona. At least, that’s what Adams seems to have suggested. At his introductory press conference, Adams danced around questions about Prescott’s skillset like Brooklyn 99’s Jake Peralta avoiding paperwork.

When asked about transitioning from Kyler Murray’s mobility to Prescott’s pocket-passing style, Adams said, “I think that it, it’d probably be hard for me to answer that question until you have a larger um sample size to pull from.” But a journalist fired back: “Do you need a mobile quarterback like that [Kyler Murray] to make your running game go and where’s Dak at this point of his career?” Murray’s answer?

“Interesting question,” he said. “I think that it certainly can help you when you have the ability [mobility] because if you are reading a run, essentially you’re taking a digit off the board on defense.” Translation? Dak Prescott lacks Kyler Murray’s bonus quality: legs that double as escape routes.

Adams later admitted, “I think anytime you have the ability back there to read with that guy, it’s a bonus for you,” especially in tight red-zone spots. He added, “When you’re looking at like a really low tight Red Zone plays or a got-to-Havoc game on the line type thing, and I think that most quarterbacks end up in that position at some point, if they’re somewhat athletic.” Translation No. 2: Prescott’s ground game? More three yards and a cloud of dust than read-option fireworks.

By the Numbers:

• Prescott averaged 1.4 rushing attempts/game through his first seven starts in 2024—his lowest since 2016.
• Dallas ranked 27th in rushing (1,705 yards) last season; Arizona, under Adams, was 7th (2,451 yards).
• Adams’ Cardinals’ O-line allowed 30 sacks in 2024. Dallas? Also 30.

Adams’s aggressive playbook for Prescott!

Adams isn’t here to coddle. His philosophy? “Create violence in the game. Be aggressive. Run. Hit.” For a Cowboys team that’s been softer than The Office’s Michael Scott in a snowball fight, this is a seismic shift. “Every decision that we make schematically needs to lean that direction [aggression],” Adams stressed. Meanwhile…

Even Prescott’s leadership—praised as “humble” and “charismatic” by Adams—might need an edge sharper. But Prescott’s 2024 stats tell a story. 11 TD passes, and 8 INTs before a season-ending injury. Compare that to 2023’s 36 TDs. Critics argue his reluctance to run—sparked by a 2020 ankle fracture—has turned him into a “Madden” glitch: all arms, no agility. In October last year, Todd Archer asked owner Jerry Jones whether Prescott ‘can’t run or doesn’t want to run’ to avoid injuries.

Jones said, “I think it’s both.” Later, he retracted. But Adams’ system demands urgency. Can Prescott channel his inner self and adapt to the situation? Or will the Cowboys’ offense stay stuck?

Adams and head coach Brian Schottenheimer are betting big on aggression to mask Prescott’s limitations. But in a league where QBs like Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen redefine dual-threat, Dallas looks sketchy in this area. As Adams molds his “problem-solving” offense, one question lingers: Can violence and vibes compensate for a QB who’s lost his legs?

Final thought: If Prescott’s arm is Excalibur, does he need a sword—or just a better shield?