Dallas Cowboys: Center Travis Frederick updates his status
Despite posting a successful season last year, the Dallas Cowboys were without their All-Pro center. Will Travis Frederick be able to return in 2019?
Prior to the start of last season, the Dallas Cowboys received a significant blow to their chances of having a successful year. The Cowboys found out that their All-Pro center, 27-year old Travis Frederick, had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, an autoimmune disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Guillain-Barre (gee-YAH-buh-RAY) syndrome is a rare disorder in which the body’s own immune system attacks the nerves. Early symptoms include weakness and tingling in extremities. For an NFL center, strength is a job requirement.
So, the discovery of the disease ended the sixth NFL season for Frederick before it even began, and sent the Cowboys scrambling to replace him. Although veteran backup center Joe Looney would fill-in admirably, he was certainly not the four-time Pro Bowler that was forced to the sidelines.
And that fact played a large part in Dallas starting the season with a 3-5 record and quarterback Dak Prescott being sacked a whopping 56 times, the second highest total in the league in 2018. But the Cowboys were able to rebound, posting a 10-6 record, securing the NFC East crown and winning their first playoff games since 2014.
Now the focus has shifted to 2019. Here’s what Frederick told WFAA-ABC 8 in a recent interview about trying to build back to being 100 percent.
"“The only things that are left missing is a little bit of strength, and then a little bit of explosion is still missing. But you would imagine that, in a neural muscular thing, that that’s the last of it, the last piece. The strength is finally getting that information, its just the speed of that information coming back. Even that has taken leaps and bounds.”"
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The Dallas Cowboys offensive line had their struggles in 2018. And that’s due in large part because their centerpiece was forced to the sidelines. But it appears that Travis Frederick is on pace to return this upcoming season. If so, that bodes well for an offense that is heading in a new, exciting direction with former quarterbacks coach Kellen Moore now installed as offensive coordinator.