Walker: Jason Witten return is 'once-in-a-lifetime' chance for young TEs

Cotton

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[h=1]By PATRIK WALKER 72 minutes ago[/h] It's clear Jason Witten didn't return simply to mentor young talent.

Having climbed down out of the ESPN broadcast booth only one season after retiring from the Dallas Cowboys, the perennial pro bowl tight end is entering his 15th season in the NFL and has arguably never looked hungrier as he gets back to the business of playing football. He's made it clear that despite the team's initial plan to reduce his snap count for 2019, he's hellbent on "making it tough" on head coach Jason Garrett and newly-promoted offensive coordinator Kellen Moore when it comes to manifesting that thought — not conceding a thing to those who are instantly pushed down the depth chart with him back in the mix.

The reason for a lack of concession is two-fold, with the first being Witten's thirst for football and the second rooted in how heightened competition makes everyone step their game up, or else.

That's how Witten sees it, and compatriots Blake Jarwin and Dalton Schultz agree — as they soak up as much as they can from the future Hall of Famer.

"He's done a great job of leading us since he's been back," Jarwin said, via DallasCowboys.com. "It's been great so far. I'm excited to get into training camp with him and [then] into the season. Anytime I can pick his brain about things — even during practice — I'll come over to him and ask, 'Hey what are you thinking here? What are you thinking there?", and it's great to have that guy in a room like that.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Schultz, unlike Jarwin, wasn't privy to Witten's tutelage before now — having been drafted on the heels of Witten's retirement. As the upstart readies for his second NFL season, he's already getting a strong taste of it, and Schultz doesn't view the All-Pro's return as anything but positive.

"His football IQ is second to none," he said. "The guy knows exactly what's going on at all times. He's locked in. The standard last year was high, but I mean with Witt[en] back, it's even higher. Following his lead and learning how he works and how he takes his job so seriously, I think has benefitted all of us."

For his part, Witten has been very transparent this offseason in his aspirations for 2019, and one of those things is to buck the narrative that he's somehow a progress-stopper.

"I think I come back with a different perspective, probably that what I had before I retired," said a clear-minded and self-aware Witten. "Not just as a mentor, but seeing the game and how I want to share it with them, and all of those guys are eager to learn. They're driven [and] they want to be successful. All of those little fundamentals and all of those details, that's what I found my passion with.

"And those guys are going to be good football players."

The more they can absorb from a legendary talent like Witten, the more likely it is that prediction will come true.
 

deadrise

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Fuckin' progress stopper with no sense of when it's time to fade off into the sunset. One of Jerry's surrogate sons and Garrett's "right kind of guys." Fuck that.

Memo to Witten: You were an abysmal failure at broadcasting. Accept it. Time to move on some other pursuit. "Dancing With The Stars" might work.
 

L.T. Fan

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Fuckin' progress stopper with no sense of when it's time to fade off into the sunset. One of Jerry's surrogate sons and Garrett's "right kind of guys." Fuck that.

Memo to Witten: You were an abysmal failure at broadcasting. Accept it. Time to move on some other pursuit. "Dancing With The Stars" might work.
If a player is better they can take the job. If not Witten will play.
 

data

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I just hope he doesn't tarnish his legacy Jackie Smith-style.
 

Simpleton

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I mean, it's 50/50 at the absolute best that either Jarwin or Schultz will actually be better than him, and I'd say the chances of both of them being better are extremely low. The real issue isn't Witten vs. the guys on the roster, it's that we literally ignored the position in FA and the draft after he came back.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I mean, it's 50/50 at the absolute best that either Jarwin or Schultz will actually be better than him, and I'd say the chances of both of them being better are extremely low. The real issue isn't Witten vs. the guys on the roster, it's that we literally ignored the position in FA and the draft after he came back.
The other problem is that even if Jarwin is better (He is probably a better receiver at this respective point) Dallas will still play Witten 90+% of the time.
 

L.T. Fan

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The other problem is that even if Jarwin is better (He is probably a better receiver at this respective point) Dallas will still play Witten 90+% of the time.
You think Witten is washed up? I don't think so. Maybe you saw something about him but he is not that far away from his normal pace.
 

jsmith6919

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You think Witten is washed up? I don't think so. Maybe you saw something about him but he is not that far away from his normal pace.
Here we go again :picard
 

Cotton

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You think Witten is washed up? I don't think so. Maybe you saw something about him but he is not that far away from his normal pace.
Did you even watch Cowboys football year before last? He has clearly lost more than just one step.
 

deadrise

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He fits Garrett's mind set perfectly. Four-yard square out on 3rd and seven. From inside the the 35, punt on fourth. Play not to lose.
 

jsmith6919

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You think Witten is washed up? I don't think so. Maybe you saw something about him but he is not that far away from his normal pace.
I'm not sure Witten is superior to Jarwin. If he takes over Jarwin's team record of 3tds in one game by a TE then I would reconsider but for now Jarwin has the chips in his pocket.
 

p1_

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I'm not sure Witten is superior to Jarwin. If he takes over Jarwin's team record of 3tds in one game by a TE then I would reconsider but for now Jarwin has the chips in his pocket.
:lol...... jeebus
 

Cowboysrock55

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You think Witten is washed up? I don't think so. Maybe you saw something about him but he is not that far away from his normal pace.
His last season was really poor. All he did was catch short passes and go down. I hope he has somehow found the fountain of youth but I have my doubts.
 

data

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I'm not sure Witten is superior to Jarwin. If he takes over Jarwin's team record of 3tds in one game by a TE then I would reconsider but for now Jarwin has the chips in his pocket.
Pawnd
 

NoDak

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I'm not sure Witten is superior to Jarwin. If he takes over Jarwin's team record of 3tds in one game by a TE then I would reconsider but for now Jarwin has the chips in his pocket.
:lol
 

deadrise

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The other problem is that even if Jarwin is better (He is probably a better receiver at this respective point) Dallas will still play Witten 90+% of the time.
Amen. Witten will get the snaps because he's Garrett's BFF -- the head boy scout in what Garrett wishes was a boy scout troop.

However, I did see some clips a few days ago showing what a superb blocker Schultz is. Wonder how Garrett will finagle keeping Witten on the field ahead of him?
 

L.T. Fan

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Did you even watch Cowboys football year before last? He has clearly lost more than just one step.
He wasnt used properly his last two years. He was almost a blocker exclusively. The entire offensive system was geared to protecting Dak because he was taking on the playbook for the first time. Witten was in a blocking mode for almost three seconds longer than his previous role. That equated to a loss of about 6 yards of getting down the field in his pattern. His dissatisfaction with Linehan is primarily the reason he retired when he did. I expect to see him with a considerable improvement if the OC puts the onus on the QB the deliver the ball quicker or escape the pocket and by time for himself.
 
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