Cowboy fans have long anticipated the end of Jason Witten’s career and yet no one expected him to actually retire. This week the sudden and shocking announcement that this is indeed the end for #82 has stunned the Cowboys faithful and there is great concern about how the Cowboys will fill the huge void he has left on this team. There is no doubt that the first ballot Hall of Famer will be missed. Witten was a class act on and off the field, the type of player that comes around once in a generation. At 38 years old he was still one of the most productive and reliable receivers on the team. He was the most durable and dependable players to ever wear the silver helmet with the blue star. He was adept at blocking and he knew the playbook better than anyone on the roster. He was a captain and a vocal leader who was an inspiration to all his teammates. He was a fiery competitor and he knew how to get an edge over his adversaries. Whether it was a subtle hold or a quick push off he knew how to gain an advantage over an opponent without drawing a flag and hurting his team.
Jason Witten is a legend and he is irreplaceable as a player yet the Dallas Cowboys must carry on without him. While many doubt that the Cowboys can rise up and become a contender after losing Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, I believe there is an opportunity for them to improve on the whole. How can this be? The answer is simple, the strength of many exceeds the strength of one. There is no one tight end on the Cowboys roster or available in free agency that can do all of the things Jason Witten can do as well as he does them; But, there are some tight ends on the roster that can do some of the things Jason Witten can do better. As much as we all love #82, there is no denying that even in his prime (let alone at 38) he was never the fastest or most athletic guy out there. He would win using his wits, body position and his incredible hands but couldn’t do much after the catch. Now you have a guy like Rico Gathers who should get some opportunities without a Hall of Famer locking up a roster spot. Gathers is considered a work in progress due to his poor blocking and novice’s understanding of the playbook but he is a unique weapon if used correctly. This year if the Cowboys are able to get him on the field, his size and athleticism and his ability to pluck the ball out of the air could allow the Cowboys to create mismatches and generate some big plays. The absence of big plays for the offense last season was well documented. Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin and the rookie Dalton Shultz are all unproven players but between them the Cowboys have some guys that can block (a crucial component to this offense) and youth and athleticism that can help them stretch the field. Cowboy fans know all too well that Witten’s ability to stretch the field had deteriorated towards the end of his career.
Another indirect benefit that could come about after Witten’s retirement is creating competition on the roster. The Cowboys coaches and management believe in the idea that a position group can improve by creating competition among teammates. They have used this approach on the defensive line, in the secondary, at wide receiver and now they can do the same for the tight ends. With Witten as the starting tight end, the guys behind him would barely see the field. Now, the young tight ends currently on the roster will have a huge opportunity to earn playing time and that should foster a competitive environment and raise the level of play for all of those players. Furthermore, as these tight ends battle it out in camp, there will be a ripple effect on the opposite side of the ball as the defense will have to rise to their level of competiveness.
It is never a good thing to lose a captain, a team leader and a respected guy in the locker room. Who stands to benefit though is the leaders in waiting, the guys that will naturally take on the leadership role when it is required. I strongly believe that when a leader falls, another will rise to fill that void. Mark my words, “One or more Dallas Cowboy players will emerge as a leaders of men in the absence of Jason Witten.”
Finally there is one other way the 2018 Dallas Cowboys can improve as a result of Jason Witten’s retirement. That would be purely based on the financial aspect of the situation. Jason Witten was one of the highest paid players on the Cowboys and his contract was among several others that limit how the Cowboys have been able to approach free agency the last few years. The Cowboys have learned to be more frugal to avoid becoming “cap strapped” in the future, but the additional money saved after losing Witten could open up the door for the Cowboys to improve their team elsewhere. If this extra money ultimately leads to the Cowboys landing Earl Thomas from the Seahawks, it would be the last item on a long list that Cowboy fans can be thankful to Jason Witten for. Good luck and thank you #82!
*Photo by Kieth Allison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode