OXNARD, Calif. -- The Cowboys aren’t blind, so they’re not in love with their center situation.

They just apparently don’t like any of the options on the open market.

The Cowboys are aware that recent starters such as ex-Buccaneer Jeff Faine, ex-Ram Jason Brown, ex-Eagle Jamaal Jackson and ex-Cowboy/Raven Andre Gurode are available. They just don’t believe that signing one of those centers is in the Cowboys’ best interests at this point.

“Trust me, we’ve scoured the short lists,” said Garrett, who mentioned conditioning as a concern for currently unemployed centers. “We’ve talked to different agents about trying to address that. Right now, we feel like the best way to address it is with the guys we have in house. If someone comes available that is attractive to us, we’ll certainly address it that way.”

Phil Costa struggled in his first season as a starter last year, and there isn’t really any competition for him on the roster right now.

Bill Nagy and Kevin Kowalski, the young players the Cowboys expected to compete with Costa, are sidelined for at least the remainder of training camp with ankle injuries. Mackenzy Bernadeau, who will take part in contact drills for the first time Thursday afternoon, will get some work at center but focus primarily at guard.

David Arkin is the second-string center at the moment. As Garrett said, the coaches have had to “cue the circus music” because of Arkin’s botched snaps on many occasions.

As flawed as the Cowboys’ center situation is, they’d don’t see a fit among the current free agents.