Any baby step is a positive step for Dallas Cowboys center Travis Frederick.
The All-Pro pivot joined teammates as the Cowboys opened offseason conditioning workouts on Monday.
"It's just great to have him working out again. Last year, I think it was well-documented, he did a great job of being kind of another coach," guard Zack Martintold the team's official website. "But to see him back out there working out, you can definitely see a little bounce in his step."
Frederick missed the entire 2018 campaign with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that blitzes the nervous system. He was diagnosed during training camp and placed on IR in October.
Relegated to the sideline, the center played a coaching role last season. Teammates hope he can do more than that in 2019.
"As much as he helped us last year, I know it was tough not being out there, just kind of doing the daily grind with all the guys that makes us so close," Martin said. "It's awesome having him back, and we're excited to get him back out on the field."
The autoimmune disease is unpredictable, which has led to necessary caution from the player and team in making concrete declarations on when Frederick might return. His ability to work out with teammates during the conditioning portion of the offseason schedule is a small step in the right direction, but it's a good step.
If Frederick remains on the path into training camp, it would provide a massive boost for the Cowboys' offensive line.