While the Cowboys coaches are focused on the newly-acquired rookies this weekend at minicamp, all is not lost with some of the veterans, including guard Mackenzy Beradeau, who hasn't been in full participation with the veterans during the workouts.
Bernadeau has been limited with a hip injury and might not be available for the OTA (organized team activity) practices later this month, or possibly even the mini-camp in early June.
It doesn't seem to be a serious issue, but the Cowboys are definitely taking caution, especially here in early May.
"We want to make sure he's healthy before we put him out there," coach Jason Garrett said in between practices Friday at Valley Ranch.
New offensive line coach Bill Callahan said he's not worried about Bernadeau coming back into the mix.
"(He's) been working well. Unfortunately he is on the shelf a little bit, he's been hurt somewhat, and he's been out. But he's getting himself rehabbed. He's going to be prepared, *I think, * to go into OTAs. We'll have to follow that closely."
Bernadeau was one of the free agents the Cowboys signed in March and is expected to compete for one of the starting guard spots. Given a four-year, $11 million contract, Bernadeau could also factor into the mix at center, a position he played early in his career at Carolina.
"He's been exposed to that spot. He's got that position flexibility so that's a real positive," Callahan said. "Yeah, he has that in him. I haven't seen it as of late, but he did serve as a backup center in emergency situations, so he has taken snaps from what we've had in our conversations with him."
