Beebe vs. Brock: What's 'Exciting' to Coaches About Center Battle

The Dallas Cowboys are still no closer to finding out who will be snapping the ball to Dak Prescott in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns...and that's a good thing.

With Brock Hoffman taking an early lead for the role in training camp with Dak stating he'll "go to war" with him, now it appears that off the back of some good days in Oxnard and good snaps against the Los Angeles Rams in Dallas' first preseason game, Cooper Beebe is now getting his turn in the sun.

Beebe is now taking first-team reps , and it is only further validation of the work that Cooper has put in over the offseason, to the point in camp where he has just as good a shot at winning the starting role as Hoffman.

For offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, the center battle is one he's watching intently.

“I think it's exciting number one,” Schottenheimer said. “We've been trying to create a bunch of competition in that room and with other spots as well and it's got nothing to do with Brock Hoffman or Chuma's [Edoga] injury, it's like we've tried to create competition. Brock's doing some great things we love Brock's intensity, but we see some things in Cooper that get us excited as well. But I think it's exciting, and these guys will compete, Brock will compete for sure, and it'll be fun to watch.”

Dallas' two preseason games will likely tell us all we need to know regarding the pecking order at center, and while Hoffman did have the inside track, Beebe is beginning to reel him in.

Competition makes everyone better, and the Cowboys' center position now has two genuine candidates in Hoffman and Beebe, who, right now, appear to be in a good spot to take the majority of reps if Dallas had a game today.

Related: Cowboys Admit ‘Need’ for D-Line Help, Explore Signing DT Linval Joseph: Source

Of course, there is still a lot of watch to go under the bridge, but with neither Hoffman nor Beebe taking a backward step and both putting their best foot forward, the center battle might not be won for a few weeks.

And no, that's not a problem. It just means the Cowboys' coaching staff has a tough decision to make because Hoffman and Beebe both showed they have the talent to get the job done.

Who will blink first?