To the casual observer, the absence of All-Pro center Travis Frederick in 2018 was nothing more than a hiccup. Backup center Joe Looney filled in admirably but the drop in the level of play was considerable if not always obvious. What makes a center great isn’t the amount of sacks allowed throughout the season, it’s everything else. And while the Guillian-Barré syndrome that knocked the Cowboys anchor out for an entire year won’t affect his ability to process assignments and identify defensive looks, there is still concern about the physical aspect.

Frederick’s unquestionably skilled at combo blocks and getting to the second level, and he’s always possessed the requisite strength to anchor against defensive linemen in one-on-one passing situations. So the question at this point is his progression is mainly his physical condition. Frederick spoke about it after Tuesday’s practice.

“Everything has felt normal now…I’ve been really happy with the way things have gone,” Frederick shared with the team’s website.

That may be true, but he still hasn’t participated in individual one-on-one pass blocking drills. This is where concern began last training camp, when Frederick was losing match-ups he would normally win with ease. Here’s what he had to say about not participating in those to date:

“I’ll probably get in there at some point. But that’s a drill for centers that’s not particularly useful in my opinion. But, you know, it’s good to get those reps just to feel it.”

On regaining his strength:

“When you hit that strength number that you used to be at or you surpass that number…that tells you you’re in a place that you want to be.”

From his mouth to the football gods’ ears. If Frederick’s strength has rebounded to the point where his previous benchmarks are being surpassed, there should be little doubt that he will return to form and turn the Dallas line back into one of the best in the league.

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