Travis Frederick, affectionately referred to as “Fred-Beard” by Cowboy fans, is easily one of the most important players on the entire Dallas Cowboys roster. Ever since he was drafted in 2013 he immediately stepped in and stabilized what was once a struggling offensive line. The four time pro-bowler has developed into the best center in the NFL and a team captain. Travis Frederick is a player that the Dallas Cowboys can ill afford to lose and yet that is exactly what has happened.
Cowboys Nation was in panic mode when they learned that Travis Frederick had suffered and injury described as a “stinger”. Frederick is usually considered the 3rd best offensive lineman on the Dallas Cowboys behind Tyron Smith and Zack Martin but Cowboy fans also realize that he may arguably be the most irreplaceable of the three. His primary back-up Joe Looney has limited experience and while Zack Martin can play center he is also banged up right now. So, it is understandable that the Cowboys faithful have been on edge while they wait to hear news on how serious his injury actually is and if he will require surgery. They have received little comfort after learning of the diagnosis straight from the man himself:
An update on what’s going on with me: pic.twitter.com/KSkMUvyCWk
— Travis Frederick (@tfrederick72) August 22, 2018
The news is surprising, and quite frankly downright confusing. Gullain Barre-Syndrome is quite rare and the exact cause of it is unknown. In his tweet, Travis Frederick assured fans that the illness was discovered in it’s early stages, that he is optimistic and that he feels much better. While that is comforting news considering the illness has caused paralysis and even death to some patients he also pointed out that there is no known timetable for his recovery. In fact the recovery time can range from weeks, to months to even years! That means Cowboy fans should be prepared not expect to see Travis Frederick on a football field in the near future.
What does his absence mean for this football team? The Cowboys have the best tackle, guard and center in football but behind those guys is a serious lack of depth at OL. Joe Looney played pretty well in place of Frederick against the Bengals in the pre-season but it was the pre-season and there is still a major drop-off there. Assuming Frederick does miss significant time; Surely the offensive line, which is the bread and butter of the franchise, cannot be expected to dominate as they have in the past.
If there is a silver lining for Cowboy fans it is that this is all happening prior to the start of the season. Historically, it is the ideal time to re-adjust the roster and deal with devastating injuries. All Pro linebacker Sean Lee is an excellent example of this. In the last 2 seasons the Cowboys are 21-4 with Sean Lee on the field and 1-6 without him. In 2014 the Dallas Cowboys lost Lee for the entire season but he was injured the first day of training camp. The Cowboys were able to finish 12-4 and make the playoffs. Timing is everything and because this injury occurred now rather than mid season I believe the Dallas Cowboys will be able to rally and overcome it.
*Photo by Kieth Allison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode
All data and statistics obtained and verified through https://www.pro-football-reference.com/