Long term, who are the potential cuts this offseason?

[Verdict]

Witten retires if the club doesn't make the playoffs.

I hope he retires either way. He can't stay off the field and the coaches seem to let him dplay what he wants to do. That would be different for a guy like Lee who performs every single game in dominant fashion.

 

[Verdict]

If they can get better production from another TE then they should do it but it's a performance issue not really a cap issue. They're not going to replace Witten with a guy they expect to have the exact same performance. It would be for a player they think will perform better.

In regards to performamce, it's a difficult decision. If they had more juice in the WR core to open things up, then Witten still has some value as a possession receiver; however, the current roster has possession receivers everywhere. Witten, Dez, TWill and Beasley are all possession type receivers.

If the WRs are going to stay the same, then there is a bigger need to replace Witten was a TE that has more speed.

Very good point. Well said.

 

[Verdict]

Witten isn't on this team because of emotion. He' on this team becase he produces at a high level and is better than 90% of all the TE in the NFL. You don' just "move on" or cut a solid contributor.

I know it's irrelevant to you but I completely disagree. He isn't very good. He can't block well. He is smart and sure handed. But he has a lot on the negative side of his ledger that you have to consider.

 

[Verdict]

His blocking has been so-so this year, at best.

Bringing him back at that cap number is a mistake.

I agree. He is a very marginal blocker. If he can't beat a player with guile, he is completely ineffective.

 

[wssaustin]

I'm just guessing based on the fact that they kept Jarwin and want to work in Rico, but I think it depends what Witten does. If Witten plays, they might consider cutting/trading Hanna for a conditional or a similar player at cut downs to get Rico on the roster if things go well in camp. Swaim does a lot of those same things. If Wit hangs them up, Hannah and Swaim become the starting combo, and Jarwin and Rico are the other two TEs for camp, with Rico getting a shot to steal snaps if he has really developed.

They do like Hanna, though. And they don't pay him so much that they have to agonize over keeping him if that's what they want to do. I like Swaim a bit better, anyway, though, and just want to make some room at the bottom of that TE group to keep Rico on the active roster.

Hanna has very little trade value.

 

[Hardline]

I know it's irrelevant to you but I completely disagree. He isn't very good. He can't block well. He is smart and sure handed. But he has a lot on the negative side of his ledger that you have to consider.

If you disagree there has to be a basis for it. There us a basis for my view of Witten that can be seen in game tape and the statistics.
You don't cut players just for the sake of it.There's no one currently on this roster that's better than him .You don't downgrade your roster . If the Cowboys can get a TE that out produces him then you replace him as a starter. The Cowboys should've drafted Hunter Henry like I was saying in that years draft.

 

[Sydla]

If you disagree there has to be a basis for it. There us a basis for my view of Witten that can be seen in game tape and the statistics.
You don't cut players just for the sake of it.There's no one currently on this roster that's better than him .You don't downgrade your roster . If the Cowboys can get a TE that out produces him then you replace him as a starter. The Cowboys should've drafted Hunter Henry like I was saying in that years draft.

The stats would indicate that he's not worth $6.5MM. And at that number he has to be the starter. You can't have a $6.5MM TE playing 50% of the time if you find a better TE in the draft, in FA, whatever.

So yeah, a lot of this is pure emotional. He needs to take a pay cut at the very least.

 

[xwalker]

If you disagree there has to be a basis for it. There us a basis for my view of Witten that can be seen in game tape and the statistics.
You don't cut players just for the sake of it.There's no one currently on this roster that's better than him .You don't downgrade your roster . If the Cowboys can get a TE that out produces him then you replace him as a starter. The Cowboys should've drafted Hunter Henry like I was saying in that years draft.

I don't think any of the players on the 53 are better than Witten, but there is no way to really know. Garrett is going to play him 100% of the snaps regardless.

Miles Austin was better than Roy Williams but we only found that out because Williams got injured. The Cowboys were not going to give Austin enough opportunities otherwise.

My preference is to keep Witten but limit his snaps and give somebody else an opportunity. Maybe that's Rico and maybe it's somebody else.

 

[LocimusPrime]

I agree. He is a very marginal blocker. If he can't beat a player with guile, he is completely ineffective.

I think Hanna is better then witten at this point in their careers. I also think Vernon Davis is better

 

[LocimusPrime]

This staff takes sooooooooo long to make moves. It took them 2-3 years to figure out that Frazier was a better tackler than jones, 4 years to comprehend that Devin street was a bust, Ryan Russell wasn't the real deal. Took them forever to realize Hayden doesn't belong in the NFL.

Heck they make mistakes all the freaking time. They need to push witten to retire

 

[Sarge]

Witten is not retiring this close to a SB run

He won't take a pay cut either ....... the best we can hope for is a restructure and a Hanna cut

That will save 6-7m against the cap...... leaves us with Witten- Swaim- Gathers- Jarwin

You lost me at SB run.....

 

[BobSacamano]

Witten is not retiring this close to a SB run

He won't take a pay cut either ....... the best we can hope for is a restructure and a Hanna cut

That will save 6-7m against the cap...... leaves us with Witten- Swaim- Gathers- Jarwin

So he won't retire while the Cowboys could possibly go to the Super Bowl? Damn dude will be playing till he's 50 then.

 

[BobSacamano]

Everybody in that locker room answers to Jason Witten. He outworks them, demands a lot from them, but he also befriends them and protects them.

Dak WORSHIPS him.

Demarco Murray's advice to players when he was leaving..."Follow Jason Witten everywhere he goes, and do everything he does." Murray credits Witten for teaching him for making him a top RB.

Think long and hard before you eliminate that from the locker room. There's not another one like him.

And all that has gotten us where exactly?

Lookit, I revere Witten as much as Staubach, Lilly, Aikman, Emmitt and Irvin and all the Cowboy greats. He should be in the ring of honor, not our starting and main weapon at TE is all.

 

[LocimusPrime]

Shooot we aren't close to a Super Bowl run.

 

[LocimusPrime]

And all that has gotten us where exactly?

Lookit, I revere Witten as much as Staubach, Lilly, Aikman, Emmitt and Irvin and all the Cowboy greats. He should be in the ring of honor, not our starting and main weapon at TE is all.

It really has gotten us nothing. It's not like this great lockeroom and right kind of guy mantra has netted better results.

 

[Nightman]

Shooot we aren't close to a Super Bowl run.

We are probably co-favorites from the NFC next year ..... at least top 3

 

[AbeBeta]

They won't cut Witten but a smart GM would probably just ask him to take a paycut which would lead to his retirement.

A smart GM would alienate a hall of fame player who is the not only the most respected player in the locker room but perhaps one of the most respected players in the league?

A player whose extension was already a pay cut of around 1.5 mill?

What do smart mean?

 

[Sydla]

A smart GM would alienate a hall of fame player who is the not only the most respected player in the locker room but perhaps one of the most respected players in the league?

A player whose extension was already a pay cut of around 1.5 mill?

What do smart mean?

Smart isn't paying a TE $6.5MM for production you could get for $2MM.

 

[xwalker]

Smart isn't paying a TE $6.5MM for production you could get for $2MM.

The cap is unlikely to be part of the decision criteria on keeping Witten.

The need for youth/speed is the issue. The 6.5M is not a big number. Hanna makes 2.75M. You won't get much from a veteran making 2M.

Hopefully Rico and possibly Blake Jarwin have something; otherwise they need to draft a TE early regardless of Witten's salary.