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The transition of power at the pivot might go down sooner than anticipated.
Joe Looney, an interior swing offensive lineman, was grandfathered into the starting center gig following Pro Bowler Travis Frederick’s retirement. But Looney must earn his keep if he wants to end the Dallas Cowboys‘ season where he started it.
Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones stated Friday “absolutely there’s competition” between the veteran and rookie Tyler Biadasz for the right to snap to Dak Prescott.
“I mean, that’s our league,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “Especially, when you’re looking at a young player like Biadasz, he goes in there and does a lot of good things. He has some things obviously that he has to work on before he wrestles that job away from Joe Looney, and I can tell you knowing Joe Looney, he’s a competitor, he’s one of the leaders in that room. He’s certainly not going to go away quietly in terms of the competition right there.”
Biadasz — for whom Dallas traded with Philadelphia to select in the fifth round of April’s draft — played extensive snaps in last Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks. With right tackle Terence Steele battling food poisoning, right guard Zack Martin was forced to slide to tackle, Looney kicked to RG, and Biadasz to C.
The widely-hailed Wisconsin product logged 52 snaps (63.4%) amid the 38-31 defeat, evidently doing enough to impress the front office. Looney, by comparison, tallied 71 combined snaps (86.6%) at the two spots.
The former’s plan is starting to fall into place.
“I’m coming in just being the best version of me,” Biadasz said on his post-draft conference call with Dallas media, via The Athletic. “I have really high goals and starting is one of them. I’m looking to contribute any way I can for the Dallas Cowboys organization.”
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Probable Week 4 Starter
Barring a surprising change of course, Looney will draw the nod for Sunday’s home matchup against the Cleveland Browns. He handled the majority of first-team reps in this week’s practices, giving no indication his replacement is imminent.
Cleveland boasts an imposing front-seven, so it makes sense the Cowboys want the senior-most center — the QB of the OL — in the lineup. But they can breathe easy if Looney suffers or an injury or face-plants on his own volition.
Biadasz’s fast-tracked development has a ripple effect on 2019 third-round selection Connor McGovern, who’s likely ticketed for a permanent future at guard. Redshirted last year and inactive in Week 1, McGovern has yet to register an offensive snap this season.
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Smith Expected to Go vs. Browns
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy strongly suggested that All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith, who missed the last two games due to a neck injury, will be active versus Cleveland.
“On track to play. He did everything yesterday that was [asked of him,” McCarthy said Friday, via the Dallas Morning News. “I think we’re definitely heading in the direction of him playing on Sunday.”
Smith did not practice Wednesday but got in limited sessions Thursday and Friday. He’s officially listed as questionable. His return would force fill-in LT Brandon Knight back to the bench — or perhaps RT, where the team remains without starter La’el Collins (IR, hip).
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL
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