Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy 'very optimistic' about Dak Prescott's status after hand surgery

The Dallas Cowboys are treating quarterback Dak Prescott as if he's Wolverine. Prescott continued to receive a positive injury prognosis Wednesday after head coach Mike McCarthy said he was "very optimistic about Prescott's status.

McCarthy said Prescott would heal for 7-10 days before the team could begin the next step in his rehab.

That 7-10 day timeline should be taken with a grain of salt. It doesn't necessarily mean Prescott is on track to return sooner than expected. It likely means he'll rest for those days and then the team will determine if he's ready to ramp up activities.

Prescott was originally expected to miss 6-8 weeks due to the injury, but the Cowboys are acting as if he has a superhuman healing factor. Owner Jerry Jones said Prescott would not be placed on Injured Reserve, meaning the team is leaving open the possibility Prescott returns in the next four weeks. McCarthy's comments also appear to indicate Prescott could return early.

Dak Prescott aiming to return quickly after surgery

It's possible Prescott makes it back earlier than his initial diagnosis. Russell Wilson sustained a finger injury last season and missed just three games before he got back on the field. Prescott and Wilson did not sustain the same injury, though. Prescott injured his thumb and Wilson injured his middle finger.

Wilson wasn't particularly effective upon coming back. He threw six touchdowns against four interceptions in his first six games post-injury. Perhaps Prescott will perform better once he's back, but that's no guarantee. Even if Prescott defies the odds and gets back on the field far sooner than expected, there is still going to be significant concern over his ability to perform at a high level.