Not much love for Witten

[glimmerman]

Well there are options, just coaching staff needs to use them. There is Rico, Jake, Hanna. I really like Jake and Rico. Problem is that it doesn't matter who it is being that this team is too loyal to vets for their own good. According to the front office in past, Witten has "earned" his place and until he quits they will put up with lower production than what could be.

And that’s the problem. It’s another case of the FO and staff not making adjustments. Jake could develop into something and they are working with Rico to take over his spot. They have been shielding him and paying him to keep him on the team but this year is put up or shut up time for the staff. And there will be growing pains which is why this should have taken place last year. Watch the sidelines and the fans reaction the first time Rico or one of the other TE blow a play that Witten does in his sleep.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Witten can definitely be used in the endzone but till you get there, no YAC will be gathered from him, he is breaking no tackles.

 

[glimmerman]

Witten can definitely be used in the endzone but till you get there, no YAC will be gathered from him, he is breaking no tackles.

Lol. He has never broken many tackles. One thing I have noticed the last few years is every game he is good for a false start or a holding penalty.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

Lol. He has never broken many tackles. One thing I have noticed the last few years is every game he is good for a false start or a holding penalty.

LLLOOLLL, COLD!

 

[xwalker]

I get it and understand that Witten is long in the tooth and is not quite as effective as he was in his prime. But all this talk about getting him out. Cutting him or him retiring is crazy talk. He is still the best we have. And you can say that’s sad but there are teams that would love to have him today.

He needs to take a smaller role starting this year and let other TE develope. Should have started last year IMO but you can blame that on the staff. They are the ones keeping Witten out there and not utilizing others. Maybe because he is still the best we have.

Witten is solid, was never known for his speed. But blocks and catches everything. Always open. Whether it’s a 2 yard route or 7. Never known for his YAC. Never been a down field threat.

What we are seeing is a a TE that’s played with Romo and his best friend his whole career. These 2 roomed together and worked on secret plays together in there off time. He was a security blanket.

Now we have a new QB that’s trying to learn how to use everything at his disposal. He is new and leans on the run game. Even still he is finding Witten as a security blanket. Romo should have been hired and payed well as QB coach. No matter the cost.

But anyways I am not trying to argue with anyone who wants Witten gone. I am saying if he suddenly wasn’t there then we would be in bigger trouble than you think at that position. We have Rico who could be a talent but is developing and who else Hanna? He is pretty good but there is a reason he isn’t starting over Witten and it ain’t cause he is JJ favorite.

If it’s the SB and the game is on the line with 2 seconds left and 4th and 3 at the 3 yard line. Dez covered so no jump ball. Who would you throw to and trust to make that catch?
Cause you know our staff would throw it 4 times in a row instead of handing it to Elliot. We have seen that before. Lol. Sorry had to throw that last part in there.

Witten would be OK if the WRs are better (and faster) than in 2017.

This combination was not good:
Dez #1 WR - Slow
Witten #1 TE - Slow
Beasley - Limited to short routes.
TWill - Limited to Intermediate depth passes.

Beasley is great in the short area but his size becomes a problem past 10 yards because DBs have a big length advantage and can reach around/over him.

Dez was horrific past 20 yards.

That means on most plays only TWill was a threat past 15 yards. Butler also but he had injury issues and appeared to have limited scheme knowledge.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

Agree and if he isn't a first ballot Hall of Famer it is a joke. The durability, excellence over a long period of time and being an ambassador of the game should make him a shoe in.

He isn’t going to be one, but that’s more about the way that tight ends are treated by the voters than anything Witten can control.

 

[glimmerman]

Witten would be OK if the WRs are better (and faster) than in 2017.

This combination was not good:
Dez #1 WR - Slow
Witten #1 TE - Slow
Beasley - Limited to short routes.
TWill - Limited to Intermediate depth passes.

Beasley is great in the short area but his size becomes a problem past 10 yards because DBs have a big length advantage and can reach around/over him.

Dez was horrific past 20 yards.

That means on most plays only TWill was a threat past 15 yards. Butler also but he had injury issues and appeared to have limited scheme knowledge.

Yes and opposing defenses figures that out and took away the short stuff. Take that and some O-Line problems and it spelled disaster for Dak. Having limited short options and having to wait and hope for time for WR to run there routes deeper and get open hurt or Offense. We need speed.

 

[Section446]

He's a huge part of the reason why Romo never took the next step, and he's part of the reason the current offense won't move forward. It's time to move on.

 

[TwoDeep3]

I see Witten near the goal line. He runs a route, and essentially blocks out like a basket baller. He gets open. He finds that spot and moves the defender with his route.

I am not an expert. But what he does isn't speed. It is his intention, read by the defender.

I think back to the Indiana Jones film Last Crusade, and the knight who guarded the Holy Chalice. When the man drank from the brilliant golden chalice, he ended up dying.

The knight said, "He chose poorly."

I think of that every time I see Witten move the defender the wrong way.

 

[Verdict]

Witten should be gone.

 

[Rayman70]

Love Witten...he's another one of those Mr. Cowboy types...but his time has all but passed. Time to replace him. Don't trust Gathers...I have to see it. Must draft a TE this year.

 

[Nightman]

Witten should be gone.

I love Witten but he needs to go

If we are going to revamp the Offense then do it....... get some speed and athleticism to create some mismatches

Plus it saves 7m and he gets a TV job on MNF

 

[Verdict]

I see Witten near the goal line. He runs a route, and essentially blocks out like a basket baller. He gets open. He finds that spot and moves the defender with his route.

I am not an expert. But what he does isn't speed. It is his intention, read by the defender.

I think back to the Indiana Jones film Last Crusade, and the knight who guarded the Holy Chalice. When the man drank from the brilliant golden chalice, he ended up dying.

The knight said, "He chose poorly."

I think of that every time I see Witten move the defender the wrong way.

How many TDs did Witten have last year?

 

[Jake]

I get it and understand that Witten is long in the tooth and is not quite as effective as he was in his prime. But all this talk about getting him out. Cutting him or him retiring is crazy talk. He is still the best we have. And you can say that’s sad but there are teams that would love to have him today.

He needs to take a smaller role starting this year and let other TE develope. Should have started last year IMO but you can blame that on the staff. They are the ones keeping Witten out there and not utilizing others. Maybe because he is still the best we have.

Witten is solid, was never known for his speed. But blocks and catches everything. Always open. Whether it’s a 2 yard route or 7. Never known for his YAC. Never been a down field threat.

What we are seeing is a a TE that’s played with Romo and his best friend his whole career. These 2 roomed together and worked on secret plays together in there off time. He was a security blanket.

Now we have a new QB that’s trying to learn how to use everything at his disposal. He is new and leans on the run game. Even still he is finding Witten as a security blanket. Romo should have been hired and payed well as QB coach. No matter the cost.

But anyways I am not trying to argue with anyone who wants Witten gone. I am saying if he suddenly wasn’t there then we would be in bigger trouble than you think at that position. We have Rico who could be a talent but is developing and who else Hanna? He is pretty good but there is a reason he isn’t starting over Witten and it ain’t cause he is JJ favorite.

If it’s the SB and the game is on the line with 2 seconds left and 4th and 3 at the 3 yard line. Dez covered so no jump ball. Who would you throw to and trust to make that catch?
Cause you know our staff would throw it 4 times in a row instead of handing it to Elliot. We have seen that before. Lol. Sorry had to throw that last part in there.

No love? Witten is one of my all time favorites. I also hope Dallas finds his replacement soon. He's still great at what he does, but "what he does" is limited at this point.

His contract is such that he can be released with no dead cap, so it's basically year to year now. All we know is that he's playing in 2018.

 

[TwoDeep3]

How many TDs did Witten have last year?

You're missing the point. He can be transitioned out, but he still brings a positive around the goal line.

This is where I inform you these are my opinions and I am in the habit of not changing them until i am so wrong I embarrass myself in public. Like my bromance with Bobby Carpenter and Drew Bledsoe.

 

[Verdict]

You're missing the point. He can be transitioned out, but he still brings a positive around the goal line.

This is where I inform you these are my opinions and I am in the habit of not changing them until i am so wrong I embarrass myself in public. Like my bromance with Bobby Carpenter and Drew Bledsoe.

I'm not arguing with you, saying you are an idiot or any such thing. I am saying Witten's TD numbers haven't been all that great around the goal line.

If you go with that hypothesis that he is valuable around the goal line you would expect to see a lot of TDs by Witten around the goal line, but you really don't.

 

[TwoDeep3]

I'm not arguing with you, saying you are an idiot or any such thing. I am saying Witten's TD numbers haven't been all that great around the goal line.

If you go with that hypothesis that he is valuable around the goal line you would expect to see a lot of TDs by Witten around the goal line, but you really don't.

He doesn't throw the ball to himself. But I get your point.

 

[Aviano90]

We can’t get rid of Mr. 1 Yard Short.

 

[Proximo]

Witten would be OK if the WRs are better (and faster) than in 2017.

This combination was not good:
Dez #1 WR - Slow
Witten #1 TE - Slow
Beasley - Limited to short routes.
TWill - Limited to Intermediate depth passes.

Beasley is great in the short area but his size becomes a problem past 10 yards because DBs have a big length advantage and can reach around/over him.

Dez was horrific past 20 yards.

That means on most plays only TWill was a threat past 15 yards. Butler also but he had injury issues and appeared to have limited scheme knowledge.

All good points.

I expected more from Butler after a decent start last year, but boy he really didn’t do much during the latter part of the season.

 

[xwalker]

Witten can definitely be used in the endzone but till you get there, no YAC will be gathered from him, he is breaking no tackles.

2017 TDs
Witten 5
Dez 6

All good points.

I expected more from Butler after a decent start last year, but boy he really didn’t do much during the latter part of the season.

He had some injury issues.

He missed games 13, 14, 15.

They targeted him 23 times in 13 games. A big part of his function was to open things up because defenses had to respect his speed and his ability on deeper passes (67% on 20+ yard targets).

The issue is that he was limited in terms of scheme knowledge and route running.