There’s been a lot of speculation this offseason on the future of several Dallas Cowboys free agents, but one of the more underrated storylines is what happens with Dallas Cowboys’ future Hall of Fame Tight End Jason Witten. With a new coaching staff comes a new era in Cowboys football, which means less loyalty to players who have been on the roster in years past. Including Witten.
Last night, speaking with reporters at the Jason Witten Collegiate Football Man of the Year Award ceremony, Witten expressed an interest to play again in 2020, However, Witten’s under the realization that he could be playing for someone other than the Dallas Cowboys. Per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, when Witten had previously met with Coach Mike McCarthy, the Dallas Cowboys’ long-time tight end had yet to decide if he was going to continue his NFL career. At the ceremony named in his honor, it sounds like that’s been decided.
However, that’s all that’s been decided.
Jason Witten has met w/ Mike McCarthy once. In that meeting he hadn’t made a final decision to play. Once he did, he got word to McCarthy. That is where things stand.
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) February 19, 2020
Jason Witten isn’t the player he once was in his prime, but he was still somewhat effective for the Cowboys catching 63 passes for 529 yards and four touchdowns. He wasn’t able to make a whole lot happen after the catch but provided a solid option in the passing game and was still a better blocker in the running game.
“I still feel like I have something to give. Of course I want it to be with the Dallas Cowboys and I’ll always be a Dallas Cowboy but I also understand that with all the changes that I might have to go somewhere else.”
Jason Witten via Todd Archer, ESPN.com
In Archer’s report, he states that Witten expects to meet with Cowboys Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones and Coach McCarthy prior to the March 18th opening of 2020 free agency.
There’s certainly a chance that Witten returns to the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 though it sounds like he’s preparing for the reality that his final snaps on a football field may be with someone other than the only team he’s ever known.
it’s happened to Cowboys greats of the past. Emmitt Smith finished his career with the Arizona Cardinals. DeMarcus Ware went to the Denver Broncos and won a Super Bowl. Dez Bryant was with the New Orleans Saints before tearing his Achilles in practice in 2018 and is looking for an opportunity to play in 2020.
Just like those Cowboys legends of the past, it will be strange to see Jason Witten in another uniform if that’s the direction this goes.
Jason Witten is, at this point in his career, an awful football player. He puts no pressure on the opposing defense and he should never have been on the field in passing situations. Yet, there he was bogging down the Cowboys offense. While other teams go to 4 WRs in certain passing situations, under the incompetent Jason Garrett, the Cowboys did not. They always had a TE in their receiver package. And there was Jason Witten on the field, running 4 yard out patterns on 3rd and 7.
The writer left out this stat. There are 32 teams in the NFL. Among all TEs, Jason Witten was 86th in yards per reception. That is horrifically bad.
If the Cowboys are smart, they will NOT re-sign him. Let him go to the Giants and bog down their offense.
Amen Keith