The Dallas Cowboys bringing Jason Witten out of the Monday Night Football booth is a feel-good story, but one that will prove fruitless.
Jason Witten is a Dallas Cowboys legend. A warrior on the field, it was a blow to the morale of the fanbase whenever the future Hall-of-Fame tight end decided to hang up his cleats in a shocking move during the thralls of the 2018 NFL Draft. On Thursday, Witten shocked fans once again as it was announced that he was leaving the Monday Night Football broadcast booth to return to the Cowboys.
The Cowboys announced the move on Thursday via the team’s official website. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Witten will return to Dallas on a one-year, $3.5 million contract.
Naturally, the move sent shockwaves throughout the NFL. Some rejoiced that Witten, who struggled in Year 1 as a broadcaster for ESPN, would no longer be on the airwaves. Others were excited that a legend was coming back to the game. Then there were those that just couldn’t grasp what was happening.
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All of those reactions are valid given the news. The Cowboys will be getting a legend back on the field and having him back with the organization will be invaluable to young tight ends such as Dalton Schultz and Rico Gathers. Having said that, the move should not be over-celebrated in any manner.
Entering the 2019 offseason, tight end was circled by most as one of Dallas’ primary needs. The thought was most likely that they would target one in the second or third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. While Witten can serve as a mentor to a rookie if they do still go that route, some may be expecting the veteran to contribute in the ways he used to for the Cowboys offense. They shouldn’t.
The last time that we saw Witten on the field (the 2017 season), he was a shell of his former self. Though the iron man played in all 16 games, he caught just 63 passes for 560 yards, the lowest totals since his rookie year. Moreover, the tape showed a player who was a step (or two) slower than he had ever been, unable to gain much separation on his routes and get open consistently.
While still a solid blocker in his last year, it’s hard to expect what we saw in 2017 to get any better. After all, Witten has been away from the field for a year and will be 37 years old when the 2019 season begins. That seems to put the writing on the wall that he will only continue to decline as a player.
Yes, getting Witten back with a star on his helmet is a feel-good story about a legend returning. Having said that, it’s not a move that will have an impact on the field in any meaningful way. When the 2019 season kicks off, expect the tight end to play more of a role as a mentor in the locker room than to provide too much of anything on the field.