This was Dak Prescott’s biggest weakness last season. How he’s trying to fix it.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said quarterback Dak Prescott’s accuracy, which was a shortcoming last season, has improved.

But it’s something quarterbacks coach Kellen Moore is constantly focusing on in training camp.

The Cowboys have two practices left before breaking from training camp.

“It’s mostly on target,” Linehan said. “You can tell a lot stuff he has done with his throwing has really paid off for him. Yes the thing with his work, the carryover with Kellen and putting it all together. The timing of the throws are all a big part of it.”

Linehan said Prescott is getting graded not just on completions but also on the placement of the football.

“Yeah we are on it,” Linehan said. “You can have a satisfactory grade but have a minus in ball placement. Kellen is pretty shrewd with that. Talk about a guy that knew he had to hit his targets in a certain spot. He understands the importance of that and Dak really buys into that. Very rarely do you have the wide open guy. Every throw you have to have that target off the challenged, contested defender. That is what he has been working on.”

Here are five other things from practice:

1. The Cowboys are placing an increased focus on the deep ball and getting Prescott on the same page with his revamped receivers corps.

There were struggles early in camp because of a lack of chemistry. The Cowboys have more speed at receiver than they have had in years and the quarterbacks were underthrowing them.

“They have gotten better,” Linehan said. “That is why we are practicing them. We are practicing more the timing of our route tree. We got new players, young players. Dak has got to get that extra work with those guys. The whole idea with the deep ball is we want to stretch and get it down the field. That is the way the whole 9 ball concept works. It is not always the bull’s-eye shot or the back shoulder throw. Those are changeups or things you do when people defend and stay on top of receivers.”

It goes without saying the back shoulder throw was a staple of the Cowboys’ offense when departed receiver Dez Bryant was in his prime. The Cowboys have a faster group now with a different skill set.

2. With the speedy Deonte Thompson nursing a sore Achilles tendon for much of the last week, Terrance Williams has had the most success catching the deep ball in practice.

“Terrance is doing a great job of digging and running and opening his stride up,” receivers coach Sanjay Lal said. “He looks different. He looks really good on film.”

Lal said the quarterbacks are doing a better job throwing the ball out there and letting the receivers run under it than they did early in camp.

He said it’s not a surprise that it would take some time when there is an influx of super fast receivers. The receivers just have to keep running and the quarterbacks will figure out where to put the ball.

He also said the go route is not as simple as it looks.

“It’s a hard skill to master and you need reps,” said Lal, a noted route-running tactician. “It’s not just running down the field. It’s so much more to it.

“It’s saving the box, saving four to five from the sideline, when to look up, not looking back so early. It shouldn’t be a jerky movement. It’s keeping your shoulders square where you are running and not turning sideways and slowing down. Body lean, body posture, shoulders, down and digging. There is so much to it. It looks simple, running in a straight line. But it’s not.”

3.. Of course, running back Ezekiel Elliott will be a huge part of the passing game. He won’t do any go routes, but he is a home run threat every time he touches the ball.

It’s one reason the Cowboys are going to split him out wide and throw to him against a defensive back or linebacker in space.

They understand teams are going to load the box to stop runs out of the backfield. But that won’t work when he is outside.

“He is our most explosive player,” Linehan said. “He is touching the ball more in the run game. It’s an opportunity to get him the ball different ways. Instead of beating an 8-man front, it’s just beat one guy.”

The Cowboys like those odds.

4. Highlights Monday included the continued impressive play of the Cowboys linebacker corps in the passing game. Rookie middle linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is showing a knack for being around the ball. He had an interception in practice Sunday followed by a near interception on Monday.

Say what you will about his physicality, he will be an impact player on pass defense. Veteran Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith remain the leaders of the pack. Smith had a couple of pass deflections. They were just more examples of his improved quickness and explosiveness now that he is no longer wearing a brace for his drop foot. And Lee just sets the standard. His third-down tackle of tight end Geoff Swaim to prevent a first down in team drills was followed by some intense trash talk, letting everyone know they came up short.

5. The Cowboys made a number of roster moves on Monday, highlighted by defensive tackle Maliek Collins being activated from the physically unable to perform list after he passed his physical.

The team will still take it slow with Collins, who has had two surgeries in four months to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot.

The goal is for him to be ready for the season opener. He is projected as a starting tackle.

“He’s just progressing,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “He’s done a really good job with his rehab, and we’re taking him day-by-day. We’ll see if he’s available at some point to come practice here in the next week or so. I hesitate to give you a timetable, but he’s making progress. We’re optimistic about him. He won’t be practicing in the next few days, but hopefully we’ll work him back here before the end of the preseason.”

The Cowboys suffered a blow to their offensive line depth when they placed backup offensive guard Marcus Martin on injured reserve. Martin tore a ligament in his right big toe during Thursday’s preseason opener.

Martin, a free agent signee, was the top backup at guard. Guard/center Joe Looney will likely take over that designation.

Receiver Marchie Murdock was also waived. Guard Jacob Alsadek and receiver Darren Carrington were signed to the roster.

This story was originally published August 13, 2018 at 9:56 PM.