Late yesterday, news broke that Dallas Cowboys Center Travis Frederick has been diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder and his return to the football field is currently up in the air. With the regular season starting in just two weeks, what might the team do to deal with this big hole in the roster?
The first and most likely option is to start Joe Looney, who is now in his third year with the Cowboys as a reserve center and guard. We haven’t seen another player at center since Frederick entered the league in 2013, as he’s started every game since.
But that would leave the cupboard pretty bare for backups, and Looney’s versatility almost makes him more attractive as a reserve. So, how else might Dallas find a new starting center?
Final cuts are coming on September 1st, but how many quality centers will hit the open market? Can the Cowboys afford to rely on this option?
Another option to consider is a trade, utilizing some of the talented depth players that Dallas has at other positions. One team’s surplus is often another team’s need; that’s where good trade partners are found.
So who might the Cowboys consider using to trade for a quality center, either to replace Frederick in the starting lineup or to fill Looney’s role as the backup?
The first guy that comes to my mind is Cornerback Jourdan Lewis. Just a year ago, Lewis was considered a first-round talent by some draft experts. He dropped to the third round because of a now-resolved legal issue.
As a rookie, Lewis really came on by the end of the season. He seemed headed for a long career as a starter in Dallas, but then the Cowboys brought in new Defensive Backs Coach Kris Richard. Dallas moved Byron Jones from safety to CB, with Richard liking more size in his corners.
Now Lewis has even dropped behind Anthony Brown on the depth chart, and the second-year talent is struggling. Whether it’s shaken confidence or just general discouragement, he doesn’t seem like the same guy right now.
But many teams may still see Jourdan Lewis as the potential star from the 2017 draft class. They also saw his play last season. The Cowboys might be able to get good value in a trade, and it could be the best thing for all parties.
Dallas still has a bevy of intriguing prospects behind Lewis at cornerback. Duke Thomas, Marquez White, Charvarious Ward, Kameron Kelly; probably only one of these guys is going to make the team as of now.
As long as the Cowboys trust one of them to play major reps in case of an injury, they could afford to let Jourdan Lewis go. It not only could fix a short-term problem at center, but it may be the best long-term move for maximizing Lewis’ value.
Another player to consider moving is Terrance Williams. With Michael Gallup already making an impact and other options on the receiver depth chart, Williams is expendable. He’s in good health and has loads of experience, having been a starter for the majority of his career.
Much like with Jourdan Lewis, the ability to move Terrance has to do with other options behind him. Lance Lenoir has emerged as a viable roster candidate. Deonte Thompson was brought in as a free agent to provide veteran depth and would be a solid fourth receiver. You also have Noah Brown, who has been out with injury but should be back soon.
Don’t forget about Tavon Austin, who the Cowboys will be using a lot at receiver this year. At a certain point, there are only so many snaps and throws to go around. With Allen Hurns, Cole Beasley, and Michael Gallup looking good as a top three, Terrance Williams is looking at a greatly reduced role from past years.
You’re not going to get a Pro Bowler in return for Terrance, but you may be able to get a guy who can at least provide quality depth behind Joe Looney. The move would also let you keep a young talent like Brown or Lenoir who you’d otherwise have to cut.
Another way to go here is with Linebacker Damien Wilson. He’s been a solid starter for two years now and is in the final year of his rookie contract.
As currently constituted, the Cowboys would be keeping first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch on the bench if Wilson remained a starter. We’ve also seen some nice stuff from free agent addition Joe Thomas in preseason.
Dallas would likely be cutting either Justin March-Lillard or rookie Chris Covington based on the current numbers. If Wilson was traded, they could keep both.
Ultimately, the key duo of Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith wouldn’t be impacted. Dallas uses their nickel scheme more than any other formation, and Wilson isn’t part of that.
So while Damien Wilson is a quality player, he’s also likely to be gone next offseason. If another team is hurting for linebackers now, and of course has the depth at center or guard that we’re looking for, a good deal could be made.
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Obviously, this is just one side of the trade equation. You have to find another team who needs a CB, WR, or LB and has the surplus on the offensive line. That takes a smart scouting department, which thankfully the Cowboys have.
Nobody’s saying that any move we make now is going to replace everything Travis Frederick, one of the elite centers in football, provides to a team. And really, we don’t even know how much this medical issue is going to threaten his playing time.
What we do know is that the Cowboys are headed to face the Carolina Panthers on September 9th and, as of right now, they don’t know if Frederick will be available. There is a dangerous amount of uncertainty right now to just sit back and hope for the best.
If Dallas can utilize one of these roster assets to get some help at center, it’s something they should wholeheartedly explore.
