Witten is returning to the Cowboys

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Originally Posted by Dawg61

If he's only costing $5 mill you take a HOF TE every time.

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That's 5 million that could be spent elsewhere. He's pedestrian at best now.

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Originally Posted by somebodyshotmypaw

I disagree. I wouldn't take Mike Ditka, John Mackey, or Kellen Winslow. Nor would I take Jerry Rice at WR. I also wouldn't want Larry Bird on my NBA team. Who cares if he is a HOF TE. Can he still be a serviceable piece on the roster? That's the question. Your opponents don't care how good you USED to be. This is a risk for the Cowboys, and I hope it pays off. And I would take Tyrod Taylor over Joe Namath. Because Joe is old.

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Witten is one year removed not thirty years removed like your ridiculous examples

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Originally Posted by Dawg61

Witten is one year removed not thirty years removed like your ridiculous examples

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I'm well aware of that. The point is how good he is now, not how good he used to be. Is he a solid TE or a liability? Time will tell. My point that seemed to go over your head is that what he can give you in 2019 matters. Not what he gave you in 2011. You don't just sign folks because they are a HOF TE.

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Originally Posted by somebodyshotmypaw

I'm well aware of that. The point is how good he is now, not how good he used to be. Is he a solid TE or a liability? Time will tell. My point that seemed to go over your head is that what he can give you in 2019 matters. Not what he gave you in 2011. You don't just sign folks because they are a HOF TE.

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They are not just signing him for that reason. They are signing him for his leadership, maturity, and his ability to coach the young tight ends around him. He will play limited snaps.

Step back and look at the big picture. This shows the cowboys are pushing their chips to the center of the table. This shows that Linehan really was the biggest roadblock. Also, a year off may have his body recovered to where he may be very much ready to go. You need to remember that he was more effective as a blocker than anything.

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

They are not just signing him for that reason. They are signing him for his leadership, maturity, and his ability to coach the young tight ends around him. He will play limited snaps.

Step back and look at the big picture. This shows the cowboys are pushing their chips to the center of the table. This shows that Linehan really was the biggest roadblock. Also, a year off may have his body recovered to where he may be very much ready to go. You need to remember that he was more effective as a blocker than anything.

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I don't disagree with anything you said at all. I actually agree. But will it work? Can he still be an effective blocker? Can he play well enough in limited snaps to justify a roster spot? That's the question. If you think he can, then you sign him. But you don't just sign him because he's a future HOFer and was good 6 years ago. Because his roster spot takes one away from someone else. Every snap he takes robs a snap from someone else. The Cowboys should do it because he can still bring value, not because his name is Witten and they remember his glory days.

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Originally Posted by somebodyshotmypaw

I'm well aware of that. The point is how good he is now, not how good he used to be. Is he a solid TE or a liability? Time will tell. My point that seemed to go over your head is that what he can give you in 2019 matters. Not what he gave you in 2011. You don't just sign folks because they are a HOF TE.

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Witten ranked 7th in the NFL in receptions in 2017 for TEs, 10th in tds and 12th in yards. Witten had more receptions, tds and yards than BOTH of Dallas' top two TEs in 2018 combined. In other words he's not terrible. It's a no-brainer signing.

It's $3.5M base. That's not much. Witten will probably be the TE coach next year.

I'm not crazy about it, but it could be a little boost. He's slow as hell now, but on 3rd and medium and in the redzone he could still help. Just last year I saw him basically breaking ankles to get open. Knows how to use his body and has good hands.

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

They are not just signing him for that reason. They are signing him for his leadership, maturity, and his ability to coach the young tight ends around him. He will play limited snaps.

Step back and look at the big picture. This shows the cowboys are pushing their chips to the center of the table. This shows that Linehan really was the biggest roadblock. Also, a year off may have his body recovered to where he may be very much ready to go. You need to remember that he was more effective as a blocker than anything.

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Exactly.

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Originally Posted by Dawg61

Witten ranked 7th in the NFL in receptions in 2017 for TEs, 10th in tds and 12th in yards. Witten had more receptions, tds and yards than BOTH of Dallas' top two TEs in 2018 combined. In other words he's not terrible. It's a no-brainer signing.

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I never said he was terrible. If I was GM, I might very well sign him also. But his 2017 numbers have nothing to do with 2019. You have to evaluate his current ability, leadership, value, roster spot, etc. You don't just sign him up because he wants to come back.