Jason Witten could pass Shannon Sharpe as #2 all-time

[dfense]

Jason Witten would have fit in just fine on the early 90s Cowboys. That offense probably would have been even better with him instead of Novacek. I like Jay, but he is a class below Jason. It isn't even close. Witten holds the record for most receptions in a single season by a tight end. That isn't compiling. That is setting a high standard.

Most TE's like Sharp and Gonzalez are just big receivers. Heck, Graham even tried to change his position to receiver for money. None of the guys ahead of Witten in the HOF pecking order were as COMPLETE a TE as Witten.

 

[cowboyeric8]

Most TE's like Sharp and Gonzalez are just big receivers. Heck, Graham even tried to change his position to receiver for money. None of the guys ahead of Witten in the HOF pecking order were as COMPLETE a TE as Witten.

But touchdowns!

 

[big dog cowboy]

He's an 11 time Pro Bowler.
#2 all time tight end in receptions.
Iron man longest current starting streak.

He's a lock 1st time.

I hope you are right.

 

[adbutcher]

I don't care if he gets 461, Witten is not a HOF player.

In fact he along with : Can't win any big games Tony" are the definitions of "compilers"

I'd take Jay Novacek over Witten twice on Sunday.

Damn we have some very foolish opinions on this forum.

It is OK to like a player without besmirching another.

 

[joseephuss]

Reading is fundamental.

I never said you made any claim about Gates not making it. My point was that Gates will enter before Witten, and the HoF isn't about to induct 4 or 5 tight ends into the nfl in the next 15-20 years... Gonzalez is getting in before Witten and so is Gates. The voters will look at the overall landscape and Witten is going to have a hard time making the cut.

TD isn't the only standard, but the fact that he is so behind in it, hurts his chances.

I didn't backtrack at all.

They don't have to induct 4 or 5 tight ends in the next 15-20 years. They just have to elect 3 tight ends within the next 10 -12 years. Those 3 being Gonzalez(retired), Gates(probably has 2 more seasons) and Witten(probably has 3 or 4 more seasons).

The idea that a slew of tight ends will be approaching Witten's numbers is absurd. There will probably be one or two that are able to survive year after year and produce consistent numbers. There won't be several that will be able to do that. Jeremy Shockey was supposed to rewrite the record books. He didn't last. Kelllen Winslow II was supposed to set the new standard and that hasn't happened. Chris Cooley, Heath Miller and Dallas Clark have all had very good careers. They are trail Witten and Gates by a substantial margin. All of these guys are contemporaries having started their careers around the same time period. It illustrates how a couple of guys will rise to the top and others will fall to the wayside. That will happen to this current generation. After several seasons we will see one or two keep producing, but most won't have long productive careers. That won't be enough to have an impact on Witten's chances of the HoF.

 

[dfense]

But touchdowns!

Aikman wasn't a touchdown machine. His best year was only 23 TD's yet he's in the Hall.

 

[Galian Beast]

Aikman wasn't a touchdown machine. His best year was only 23 TD's yet he's in the Hall.

Aikman won 3 super bowls and was a super bowl mvp.

 

[Galian Beast]

They don't have to induct 4 or 5 tight ends in the next 15-20 years. They just have to elect 3 tight ends within the next 10 -12 years. Those 3 being Gonzalez(retired), Gates(probably has 2 more seasons) and Witten(probably has 3 or 4 more seasons).

The idea that a slew of tight ends will be approaching Witten's numbers is absurd. There will probably be one or two that are able to survive year after year and produce consistent numbers. There won't be several that will be able to do that. Jeremy Shockey was supposed to rewrite the record books. He didn't last. Kelllen Winslow II was supposed to set the new standard and that hasn't happened. Chris Cooley, Heath Miller and Dallas Clark have all had very good careers. They are trail Witten and Gates by a substantial margin. All of these guys are contemporaries having started their careers around the same time period. It illustrates how a couple of guys will rise to the top and others will fall to the wayside. That will happen to this current generation. After several seasons we will see one or two keep producing, but most won't have long productive careers. That won't be enough to have an impact on Witten's chances of the HoF.

All of those tight ends were much lower than Gates and Witten at the time. Now there is a much larger crop of tight ends that are all out producing the previous group. Will all of them make it? No, but a few of them will, and when you compare their numbers to Witten's when it is time to induct him, his numbers won't look favorable, especially his touchdowns.

 

[Wolfpack]

He really needs a ring to be lock IMHO. He'll be in the discussions but if he is a Cowboy with out a ring, its a harder road to go. I don't agree but you know thats how the process will go.

 

[dragon_mikal]

He really needs a ring to be lock IMHO. He'll be in the discussions but if he is a Cowboy with out a ring, its a harder road to go. I don't agree but you know thats how the process will go.

There are plenty of HoFers who don't have rings. True greatness transcends championships IMHO. Though it doesn't hurt to have a ring in your back pocket.

Witten is a HoFer...especially if he plays three or four more years at his current production.

 

[joseephuss]

All of those tight ends were much lower than Gates and Witten at the time. Now there is a much larger crop of tight ends that are all out producing the previous group. Will all of them make it? No, but a few of them will, and when you compare their numbers to Witten's when it is time to induct him, his numbers won't look favorable, especially his touchdowns.

I don't see a large group of tight ends currently out producing the previous group. I see Jimmy Graham and Gronk. That is it as of now. Where is this large group you speak of?

I look at the good seasons Jordan Cameron and Julius Thomas put up last year. Impressive, but they were not far and away better than anything Witten has produced. Plus neither one of those guys did squat their first two years in the league. Thomas had 1 reception in his first two years. Cameron had 26 receptions over his first two seasons. It is hard to make up essentially two lost years. Both guys turn 26 in this their 4th seasons. Witten didn't turn 26 until his 6th year in the league.

You really are selling Witten short on this topic.

 

[mldardy]

I don't see a large group of tight ends currently out producing the previous group. I see Jimmy Graham and Gronk. That is it as of now. Where is this large group you speak of?

I look at the good seasons Jordan Cameron and Julius Thomas put up last year. Impressive, but they were not far and away better than anything Witten has produced. Plus neither one of those guys did squat their first two years in the league. Thomas had 1 reception in his first two years. Cameron had 26 receptions over his first two seasons. It is hard to make up essentially two lost years. Both guys turn 26 in this their 4th seasons. Witten didn't turn 26 until his 6th year in the league.

You really are selling Witten short on this topic.

He really is. There is no abundance of TE's right now. There's two as you said that have put together some good seasons but as I said Witten has been putting up numbers, Pro Bowls, etc for 10+ seasons. Graham and Gronk both need to stay healthy and do this over a long period of time to even be considered HOFers. The only TE's of this era that are going to the Hall are Gonzalez, Gates, and Witten. That's it.

 

[Galian Beast]

I don't see a large group of tight ends currently out producing the previous group. I see Jimmy Graham and Gronk. That is it as of now. Where is this large group you speak of?

I look at the good seasons Jordan Cameron and Julius Thomas put up last year. Impressive, but they were not far and away better than anything Witten has produced. Plus neither one of those guys did squat their first two years in the league. Thomas had 1 reception in his first two years. Cameron had 26 receptions over his first two seasons. It is hard to make up essentially two lost years. Both guys turn 26 in this their 4th seasons. Witten didn't turn 26 until his 6th year in the league.

You really are selling Witten short on this topic.

I'm not selling him short. I know very well what his accomplishments are, I just don't think they are going to get him into the hall of fame on the first go, and possibly not ever.

 

[mldardy]

I'm not selling him short. I know very well what his accomplishments are, I just don't think they are going to get him into the hall of fame on the first go, and possibly not ever.

 

[Galian Beast]

I think you underrate the importance of touchdowns, his ability to be an impact player, and perception that goes with team success.

 

[mldardy]

I think you underrate the importance of touchdowns, his ability to be an impact player, and perception that goes with team success.

LOL OK. You are overrating them and you act like Witten has 10 TDs for his career or something. He's going to end up with 60+ TDs before his career is over. There's only 4 TE's with 60 or more currently and one of them Jerry Smith is not in the HOF. TD's simply don't matter that much when it comes to that position. Being the best at your position or one of the best for a long period of time does and Witten more than fits that. And Witten is an impact player . He's been a Pro Bowler over half of his career and an All Pro twice. Over 1000 yards 4 times, over 90 receptions 4 times. I'm done discussing this at this point. I've repeated the same FACTS over and over again along with others and you still refuse to accept them.

 

[Galian Beast]

LOL OK. You are overrating them and you act like Witten has 10 TDs for his career or something. He's going to end up with 60+ TDs before his career is over. There's only 4 TE's with 60 or more currently and one of them Jerry Smith is not in the HOF. TD's simply don't matter that much when it comes to that position. Being the best at your position or one of the best for a long period of time does and Witten more than fits that. And Witten is an impact player . He's been a Pro Bowler over half of his career and an All Pro twice. Over 1000 yards 4 times, over 90 receptions 4 times. I'm done discussing this at this point. I've repeated the same FACTS over and over again along with others and you still refuse to accept them.

By the time he is HoF eligible there will probably be 10 or so tight ends with more touchdowns than him who entered the league after he did.

 

[mldardy]

By the time he is HoF eligible there will probably be 10 or so tight ends with more touchdowns than him who entered the league after he did.

I doubt it. There probably won't even be half of that. I just told you only 4 TE's have 60 or more in the history of the league and all of sudden 10 are going to pass him in the next 10-15. Wow you are living in a fantasy world.

 

[percyhoward]

By the time he is HoF eligible there will probably be 10 or so tight ends with more touchdowns than him who entered the league after he did.

A skill-position player with 7+ Pro Bowls and multiple 1st team All-Pro selections is automatic. And Witten is 2 Pro Bowls past that already.

Find another skill-position player who is equally as accomplished as Witten already is now, who is NOT in the Hall of Fame despite years of being eligible.

There isn't one.

 

[Galian Beast]

A skill-position player with 7+ Pro Bowls and multiple 1st team All-Pro selections is automatic. And Witten is 2 Pro Bowls past that already.

Find another skill-position player who is equally as accomplished as Witten already is now, who is NOT in the Hall of Fame despite years of being eligible.

There isn't one.

Shannon Sharpe had 8x pro bowls 4x first team all pro, 1 x 2nd team all pro

3x super bowl champion

and he wasn't a first ballot guy...