Cowboys ramping up to throw rookie into fire with risky move

If the Cowboys are going to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders this season they'll need to keep quarterback Dak Prescott upright. Good center play is crucial in that endeavor. That's why starting rookie Cooper Beebe could be a make or break decision for Dallas.

Cowboys offensive line coach Mike Solari recently told media that the team plans to "lock" the former Kansas State lineman into the center spot. That's a clear signal that the organization believes Beebe has the skill set to make an immediate impact as a starter.

It's not a move without risk though. The coaching staff likes Beebe's initial quickness up front but that's more important when it comes to generating momentum for the team's run game. The bigger challenge for Beebe will be to make sure he can sustain interior blocks to keep opposing rushers away from his team's star quarterback.

Cowboys taking another offseason risk with rookie Cooper Beebe

The good news is that Beebe played the majority of his collegiate football at left tackle. That gives him plenty of experience trying to contend with speedy edge rushers. It's still going to be a significant transition for him to deal with powerful defensive tackles at the pro level.

In fairness to the Cowboys' decision makers, there isn't another great option to start at center present on their current roster. Brock Hoffman is the only other reasonable alternative who will get meaningful traning camp snaps. It's possible that Dallas could look to bring in a veteran later in the preseason but the odds favor them giving Beebe every opportunity to earn the starting spot ahead of Week 1.

If the Cowboys are going to continue to construct a legitimate Super Bowl contender around high-priced stars like Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons then they will need to hit on rookies to give them meaningful snaps on relatively cheap contracts. Beebe is one player who can give this team a cost-effective starter at a position of need.