Fantasy Football: Cowboys Center Would Be Ideal Fit for NY Giants

Cowboys center Cooper Beebe isn't going anywhere anytime soon for the Cowboys, but if the Giants could steal one player from their opponents this week, Beebe would be our choice.

Dallas Cowboys OL Cooper Beebe | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

If the New York Giants could grab one player off the Dallas Cowboys roster, who would make the most sense?  

Our vote would be for an offensive lineman who could help get the Giants’ rushing attack on track and protect quarterback Russell Wilson in the pocket when passing. Specifically, we’d pick center Cooper Beebe.

This week, Giants head coach Brian Daboll gave incumbent center John Michael Schmitz a vote of confidence, describing Schmitz as smart, tough, and a finisher. 

While all of those things may be true, the truth is that Schmitz has not improved much from his rookie season, when he was rated among the worst starting linemen in the league. 

The center is the linchpin of the offensive line, and if he is good, usually the offensive line operates without many issues. 

Schmitz's inconsistency has led to an inconsistent offensive line, particularly in the absence of left tackle Andrew Thomas. 

Run Blocking

New York Giants center John Michael Schmitz Jr. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Schmitz has struggled to move bodies off the line of scrimmage in the run game. It makes it more difficult for the guards to climb to the second level because they need to help him handle a nose guard. 

Beebe, on the other hand, was ranked the 10th-best run-blocking center by PFF in his rookie season. As a converted guard, he is a little more stout and packs more of a punch as a run blocker. 

He is used to drive-blocking and working interior defenders off the line of scrimmage. His ability to handle defenders solo allows the guards to release to the second level. That is how the explosive runs happen. 

Pass Protection

Beebe was 13th among centers in pass protection. One of his strengths is his lateral movement, which allows him to effectively shut down interior defensive line stunts and pick up A-gap blitzers. He does a good job of diagnosing twists and passing off responsibility to the guard. 

This is specifically an area in which Schmitz struggles. There are too many snaps where he stays on his initial block too long, leading to him trying to chase the looping defender. He also gets beaten with quick moves on 1x1 pass blocking, while Beebe is excellent in those instances. 

Better center play can hold the key to improvements in the rushing attack and consistency in pass protection. Beebe will have his hands full dealing with Dexter Lawrence this week, but the Cowboys do not have a defensive tackle of the caliber of Lawrence. 

If he were a Giant, Beebe would have no problem handling the Cowboys' interior defensive linemen, as inserting him into the lineup would be an immediate upgrade. 

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