The Cowboys haven't ruled out moving first-round pick Travis Frederick to right guard. Frederick worked as the first-team center throughout OTAs, but could be an option at guard if it proves to be a better fit on the offensive line. Mackenzy Bernadeau remains the favorite to start, but is coming off shoulder surgery and struggled in pass protection last season.

Cowboys signed No. 31 overall pick C Travis Frederick to a four-year contract. As is the case with all first-round picks, Frederick's deal includes a fifth-year team option. Widely viewed as one of the draft's bigger reaches, Frederick ran with the first-team offense all offseason after owner Jerry Jones exclaimed in April that he "will start." Frederick lacks elite athleticism, but stands in at a powerful 6-foot-4, 312 pounds. He should at least be an upgrade on the Phil Costa/Ryan Cook merry-go-round.

Cowboys OC Bill Callahan came away impressed with first-round C Travis Frederick's spring. "One of the traits that we identified early was his ability to communicate, his retention of the system, his ability to communicate it out," Callahan said. Coach Jason Garrett agrees. "For a young guy, he really seems to grasp what we're trying to get accomplished in a short period of time." Frederick is locked into a starting job.

First-round C Travis Frederick is running with the starters in Cowboys OTAs. Owner Jerry Jones is handing Frederick the job, which is unusual even for top-ten picks. Frederick was the No. 31 selection in last month's draft. Typically, the charade of "competition" is carried out through at least minicamp. Labeled a "reach" by most draftniks and league insiders, Frederick will be on the spot as a rookie.

The Cowboys' goal is to make No. 31 overall pick Travis Frederick the starting center as a rookie.

ESPN's Ed Werder polled five NFL teams about Cowboys first-round G/C Travis Frederick, and none of them gave him a first-round grade. None of them even considered Frederick a quality second-day prospect. One club had Frederick in the fourth round, two more had him as a fifth-rounder, one had him in the sixth round, and the final club graded Frederick as a "borderline" sixth- to seventh-round pick. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has already committed to starting Frederick as a rookie, probably at center or right guard.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says first-round pick G/C Travis Frederick "will start" as a rookie. Way to add integrity to coach Jason Garrett's camp competitions, Jer. "I had hoped we could come out of this thing with a legitimate starter, a legitimate starter, and he will start," Jones said. "He will start. First-rounder and not starting? I know coach wants there to be competition and should be, and we all know that's the way it is." The Cowboys have perhaps the league's worst interior line, so it shouldn't be hard to find Frederick a starting job.