Dallas City News

There’s a lot of justifiable anxiety floating around the Dallas Cowboys right now after last year’s disappointing finish and a quiet offseason. But one roster position that doesn’t seem to be causing angst is at center. Despite a projected rookie starter and relatively inexperienced depth, many are high on Dallas’ centers going into 2024.

For the last three seasons, Tyler Biadasz has held down the starting job with solid results. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2022 and has been more than adequate during his run. But he was unfairly cursed by the shadow of Travis Frederick, arriving on the heels of Frederick’s tragic retirement and even coming out of the same college. It was a constant comparison that he could never live up to.

There is hope that rookie Cooper Beebe can get the Cowboys closer to the good ol’ days. While expecting him to be a perennial All-Pro like Frederick would be unreasonable, the Kansas State product enters the league with higher marks than Biadasz and praise even from outside the organization.

Whereas Biadasz was up against those Frederick memories, Beebe benefits from a lowered bar and being sandwiched between two All-Pro guards in Zack Martin and Tyler Smith. He has as good a situation as any young center could ask for, but we’re closing in on the start of training camp and the time for all this hype to manifest into something tangible. With a tough schedule and other positions going through transitions, the Cowboys can’t afford many growing pains from Beebe.

Back when Frederick was around, he wasn’t the only strength at center. Dallas also had a superior backup, Joe Looney, who provided versatile depth at guard as well. His value was abundantly clear in 2018 when Frederick had to miss a year with the onset of Guillan-Barre syndrome, thrusting Looney into full-time starting duty. He wasn’t a liability, helping the Cowboys to a 10-win season, division title, and first-round playoff victory.

Beebe’s arrival and likely starting role make Brock Hoffman the projected backup. Before the draft, many were comfortable with the idea of Hoffman starting in 2024. He now, like Looney, offers quality depth with position flex at guard. Second-year lineman T.J. Bass, who’s mostly played guard, is also working at center to increase his value.

If there is only one roster spot for them, a competition between Hoffman and Bass should produce a strong, versatile backup. Both could easily make the team, but Dallas also has several guard-tackle prospects to work with this summer. Depending on how the Cowboys like those guys, they may have to choose between Bass or Hoffman and their ability to play center would be paramount in the decision.

However it goes, the Cowboys seem to have more juice at center than they have in a while. We still need to see if the draft excitement around Cooper Beebe was justified, but a hit there should have a trickle-down effect on the entire position. The days of Travis Frederick and Joe Looney won’t be easily matched, but Dallas’ young centers feel like they have legitimate potential to close the gap.