Jason

Witten

Slater reports that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had talks with Witten to join the Cowboys’ coaching staff under Mike McCarthy and be an heir to the head coaching role. However, with McCarthy now moving on, the plan for Witten is in flux. Slater adds Witten could still be in the mix to join the Cowboys’ staff, not necessarily in a head coach role, but in some coaching capacity. The Cowboys have indicated interest in Deion Sanders, among others, for head coach. Jerry Jones has been “making calls” and Dallas has several options for their head coaching vacancy. Time will tell just who will helm Jerry’s squad for 2025 and beyond, whether it is Sanders, Witten, or some other option.

Witten, 39 in May, is signing a one-day contract with the Cowboys to retire as a member of the team he spent his first 16 years with before joining the Raiders for the 2020 season. Witten was out of the league in 2018 when he joined ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth, but that was a total disaster for both sides. He came out of his hiatus for two more playing seasons and ends his Hall of Fame career with 1,228 catches for 13,046 yards and 74 touchdowns. He turned in four 1,000-yard seasons and four others of 850-plus yards, never missing a game from 2004 forward. Witten made 11 Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro twice. Witten made over $76 million in the NFL.

Coach Bill Parcells said Witten will be a key to the passing game, playing in the two-tight-end set and serving as an H-back. “He allows us to do a number of things,” Parcells said. “He’s also intelligent, so you can do a lot things with his versatility. That’s good. I’ll take a six-pack of those.”

He still led the Cowboys in receptions and receiving yards. He needs two more catches to break the franchise record for receptions by a tight end.

Witten spent 16 seasons with the Cowboys from 2003-2019. The most-recent version of the veteran TE wasn’t all that great, as Witten set career-low marks in both yards per reception (8.4) and yards per target (6.4) in 2019. The fit with the Raiders is even more puzzling considering the presence of both Darren Waller and Foster Moreau. It’s unlikely that Witten sees enough targets and snaps to work as a standalone fantasy option in 2020, but his presence undoubtedly lowers the ceiling of both Waller and Moreau.

It’s unclear if Hill is going off of a source or simply speculating. Either way, the team’s decision to tender restricted free agent Blake Jarwin at a second-round level would indicate that moving on from Witten is the plan. The Cowboys’ long-time starting TE averaged career-low marks in yards per receptions (8.4) and yards per target (6.4) in 2019, but continued to play a near every-down role anyway. Owner Jerry Jones said recently that he hopes to re-sign Witten.

“I feel strongly he wants to play, and I think he can,” Jones said. “I would hope that he would not ever be anything but a Cowboy. As I sit here right now I think he can make a real contribution.” This conflicts with reports the Cowboys aren’t expected to re-sign Witten. Dallas should ultimately make Witten an offer, but after playing 75 percent of snaps last year, Witten will need to accept a lesser role to return.

Witten will turn 38 in May. The future HOF TE averaged a career-low 8.4 yards per reception and scored just four touchdowns in 2019. There still might be a role for Witten as a part-time red zone option, but his current near every-down role is far from ideal considering the lack of speed it puts on the field. Dak Prescott has been much more efficient targeting Blake Jarwin throughout his career. Perhaps Witten will look to continue his football career elsewhere, or maybe he’ll *throws up in mouth* rejoin Booger and company in the Monday Night Football booth.

This has always been implied. Witten did also say he has met with new head coach Mike McCarthy and has remained in communication with the Jones family in Dallas, but things have gone stagnant with the Combine and other contracts coming up. The veteran will have some opportunities outside of Dallas if it gets that far, particularly with the Giants and OC Jason Garrett. Witten will likely be a complementary player who serves as a clubhouse leader.

This falls in line with reports Witten could follow OC Jason Garrett to the Giants. Entering his age-38 season, Witten didn’t show much dropoff after sitting out 2018. Witten’s retirement plans could carry into the offseason, but there should be a market for him.