WEBVTT - Cowboys Break: Witten's Future? 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:06.000 The following. He's a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:06.040 --> 0:00:18.200 and the Dallas Cowboys Football clubs. Are you ready for 0:00:18.239 --> 0:00:21.919 a break? Yes? Are you ready for a break? Absolutely? 0:00:22.040 --> 0:00:26.239 Ready for a break? Yeah, and so much for that. 0:00:26.440 --> 0:00:31.600 It's time for the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:32.400 --> 0:00:39.480 with Nick Eatman, David Hellman, and bar Garcia and Derek Eagleton. Hello, guys, 0:00:39.560 --> 0:00:43.840 welcome back to Cowboys Break. It's been a while, are 0:00:43.840 --> 0:00:46.159 you guys good? It's been it feels like I was 0:00:46.200 --> 0:00:47.880 literally just thinking, it feels like it's been a month. 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:50.680 It's been a long two weeks. It's fine, Yeah, feel good. 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:54.240 How are you good? Derek will be joining us in 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:56.720 a little bit whenever he feels like it. You know, 0:00:57.080 --> 0:00:59.080 that's his thing. You can do that when you're the 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:04.759 Boston they're watching TV. I think, yeah, well, let's get 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:08.039 right into it. I mean, obviously, as of right now, 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:11.040 it's been kind of a slow week and not many 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.759 things have happened. But one of the things that did 0:01:13.840 --> 0:01:18.280 happen was last night, Jason Witten, he had his help me. 0:01:18.319 --> 0:01:23.560 I would pronouncing this college college, collegiate, collegiate. Wow, definitely 0:01:23.640 --> 0:01:26.839 not how I expected to say that. Words fine Collegiate 0:01:27.040 --> 0:01:29.920 Man of the Year award. Well, aren't it like a 0:01:29.959 --> 0:01:32.680 four point zero I was. I guess they didn't. I 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:35.200 guess they didn't say that word. They don't give it 0:01:35.360 --> 0:01:40.839 grades unpronouncing words. But Collegiate Man of the Year Jason 0:01:40.880 --> 0:01:45.280 Witten went to Tennessee. Picked a guy from Tennessee. Shocker. Yeah, okay, 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:48.800 that's I. Actually I didn't know who Tray Smith was 0:01:48.880 --> 0:01:50.640 until I went to this thing last night. And that's 0:01:50.640 --> 0:01:55.360 an impressive dudeum, which actually typically they give that a 0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:57.520 word to a guy who's leaving school, but he's actually 0:01:57.520 --> 0:02:01.120 going back. Um. But yeah, Jason winn gives an award 0:02:01.160 --> 0:02:04.000 to a guy with extremely high on and off field character. 0:02:05.000 --> 0:02:09.960 Tray Smith lost his mother in high school and missed 0:02:10.000 --> 0:02:12.239 an entire year of his college career with blood clots 0:02:12.240 --> 0:02:15.680 and his lungs and battled back to be all SEC 0:02:15.880 --> 0:02:19.520 this past season. He's going back to school. Good for him. Um, 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:27.040 he did go to Tennessee. So while we're talking about 0:02:27.480 --> 0:02:29.800 last night, he was in the start, he got to 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:31.920 talk to the media. One of the things that came 0:02:32.000 --> 0:02:34.519 up once again is whether or not he's going to 0:02:34.600 --> 0:02:37.280 play this year, and he once again kind of said 0:02:37.440 --> 0:02:41.079 or confirmed that he does want to continue playing until 0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:44.560 he can and he would prefer it to be with 0:02:44.600 --> 0:02:47.840 the Dallas Cowboys. And he said that he has voiced 0:02:48.280 --> 0:02:52.280 that opinion. He talked with Mike McCarthy prior to him 0:02:52.600 --> 0:02:55.519 kind of gathering his whole coaching staff. He has been 0:02:55.880 --> 0:02:59.920 in communication with Stephen and Jerry Jones and to let 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:02.920 them know that he wants to be here. Now. Basically 0:03:02.960 --> 0:03:07.560 said that at this point it's just waiting, waiting on 0:03:07.600 --> 0:03:10.919 the Cowboys and see what they decide to do, whether 0:03:10.960 --> 0:03:13.720 to bring him back or not on at least a 0:03:13.800 --> 0:03:17.120 one year contract. So what do you guys think about 0:03:17.120 --> 0:03:19.760 this whole situation? Would you want the Cowboys to bring 0:03:20.120 --> 0:03:25.720 Jason Witten back? It sounds messy to me because he's 0:03:25.800 --> 0:03:28.880 Jason Witten. And if Jason Witten wanted to come back 0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:31.360 and play for the Cowboys, you would think that that'd 0:03:31.360 --> 0:03:33.280 be the end of it. And I mean, okay, well 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:35.480 you come back, and well we'll make a deal, and 0:03:35.920 --> 0:03:38.120 you know it's not gonna be about the money anyways. 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:40.400 It's just come back and play and we'll figure out 0:03:40.400 --> 0:03:43.840 the role. But apparently there's there's a sticking point there 0:03:43.960 --> 0:03:48.280 and you know, that's something he's not used to experiencing. 0:03:48.360 --> 0:03:53.040 So do I want him to come back or I mean, yeah, 0:03:53.160 --> 0:03:55.040 I think I think he could because I don't see 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:57.320 anybody in his way right now that it's like who 0:03:57.320 --> 0:04:00.960 he's taking snaps from. Blake Jarwin will play and play 0:04:01.000 --> 0:04:03.600 a lot, but Dalton Schultz doesn't have to to me, 0:04:03.760 --> 0:04:07.960 so he still can draft one. But I would bring 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:10.000 him back, But I don't get the sense that's going 0:04:10.040 --> 0:04:12.200 to happen if it's waited this long. I thought it 0:04:12.240 --> 0:04:14.440 was a really interesting thing that Wit said at the 0:04:14.440 --> 0:04:17.320 top of his press conference last night, was that this 0:04:17.360 --> 0:04:19.400 has taken a little bit longer than I wanted it 0:04:19.440 --> 0:04:22.680 to or than I thought it would, which, yeah, I mean, 0:04:22.720 --> 0:04:25.200 you're absolutely right if Jason Witton wants to come back. 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:27.880 Typically you'd think, Okay, you know, here's the deal, this 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:29.960 is what it'll be worth, and you're in. And it 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:32.640 worked that way for him last year when his longtime 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:35.720 friend and head coach was still calling the shots. Obviously, 0:04:35.839 --> 0:04:38.400 Jason Witten is very very close with the Jones family 0:04:38.440 --> 0:04:42.920 and has those allies, but all of his other allies 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:44.800 in the building, and that's I mean, you know, his 0:04:44.880 --> 0:04:47.200 teammates like him, and I've never heard a bad word 0:04:47.240 --> 0:04:49.039 about it in that regard, But his allies on the 0:04:49.040 --> 0:04:51.279 coaching staff are gone, like the guys he worked with 0:04:51.360 --> 0:04:54.839 forever that he had all these relationships with, namely Jason Garrett, 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:58.920 are gone. And yeah, I think, I mean, ultimately, I 0:04:59.279 --> 0:05:01.240 think like whether or not Jason Witten here, I think 0:05:01.240 --> 0:05:04.000 comes down to, like Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones and 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:07.080 Mike McCarthy, like who wants that more? You know, is 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:10.599 Mike McCarthy absolutely insistent that he needs a fresh start 0:05:10.640 --> 0:05:12.480 and there's no place for this guy on his roster, 0:05:12.960 --> 0:05:15.880 Or are Jerry and Stephen Jones insistent that you know, 0:05:15.920 --> 0:05:17.880 this is Jason Witten and we're going to find a 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:19.920 way to keep him around for one more year. Which 0:05:19.960 --> 0:05:23.000 is why the other interesting takeaway that I got out 0:05:23.000 --> 0:05:25.680 of this last night was he expects to have these 0:05:25.680 --> 0:05:28.200 conversations when the Cowboys come back from the combine and 0:05:28.360 --> 0:05:32.080 before free agency, so like, this isn't a typical free agent, 0:05:32.279 --> 0:05:34.080 like like you know you're not doing this isn't a 0:05:34.120 --> 0:05:37.240 guy on his first contract that wants to test the market. 0:05:37.279 --> 0:05:39.320 This is a guy who's just looking for the right 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:41.520 landing spot. He wants it to be here. So I 0:05:41.560 --> 0:05:43.560 think it's interesting to think that one way or another, 0:05:44.279 --> 0:05:46.919 this will be resolved before a free agency opens in March, 0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:50.240 so you know, ideally within the next two and a 0:05:50.279 --> 0:05:53.400 half to three weeks we would have an answer. Me personally, 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:57.680 it's nothing against Jason Witten. You change the coaching staff over. 0:05:59.480 --> 0:06:02.200 He was last year. I don't think he was dynamic. 0:06:02.240 --> 0:06:03.840 I don't think he helped you in the red zone. 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:07.159 He maybe didn't hinder Blake Jarwin as much as I 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:09.440 thought he would before the season, but he still ate 0:06:09.520 --> 0:06:13.279 up a lot of those snaps. I would rather turn 0:06:13.320 --> 0:06:16.359 the page and start fresh again. Nothing against him, but 0:06:16.400 --> 0:06:18.520 I just think you know you're already changing the coaching 0:06:18.520 --> 0:06:20.640 staff over, you might as well take that final step 0:06:20.640 --> 0:06:24.640 and just move into a new era completely. But I 0:06:24.680 --> 0:06:26.520 will be interested to see who wins out in that 0:06:26.560 --> 0:06:29.960 decision making process. Well, you know you tend to usually 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:32.440 when you see the group of guys in your roster, 0:06:33.040 --> 0:06:35.560 you tend to pick out the guys that seem better. 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:37.680 You know, you mentioned out of the group, Jason Witten 0:06:37.800 --> 0:06:40.440 is still better than the rest of them. And yes, 0:06:40.800 --> 0:06:43.039 but at this point when you start analyzing the whole 0:06:43.040 --> 0:06:46.440 free agency. Are there any tight ends out there currently 0:06:46.520 --> 0:06:50.440 that might be better than Jason Witten or not necessarily better, 0:06:50.480 --> 0:06:53.080 but could contribute more on the field than what he 0:06:53.160 --> 0:06:55.680 did last year. Yeah, Well, the thing is, and I 0:06:55.720 --> 0:06:59.360 say this about better, I mean obviously more dynamic down 0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:01.960 the field player is still is on your roster, and 0:07:02.440 --> 0:07:05.440 Blake Jarwin he is better at that? I don't. I mean, 0:07:05.560 --> 0:07:09.000 maybe you know, Jason Witten has forgotten more about tight 0:07:09.080 --> 0:07:11.600 end than like ninety nine percent of people will ever learn. 0:07:11.680 --> 0:07:15.120 I get that, like maybe in the all encompassing duties 0:07:15.120 --> 0:07:18.280 of the position, he might be better than Blake Jarwin, 0:07:18.360 --> 0:07:20.760 But like, can you definitively say he's a better option 0:07:20.800 --> 0:07:22.920 based on what we saw last season in terms of 0:07:22.960 --> 0:07:26.360 like being a dynamic element of the offense. I don't 0:07:26.400 --> 0:07:28.400 think you can say that anymore now. I think Blake 0:07:28.480 --> 0:07:30.640 Jarwin is the better option at this point in their 0:07:30.680 --> 0:07:33.080 respective careers. Right, But I you know, to me, I'm 0:07:33.080 --> 0:07:35.120 looking at tight end like I look at who's the 0:07:35.160 --> 0:07:38.080 best cornerback, second or third corner. Well, they're both going 0:07:38.120 --> 0:07:39.640 to play, So I mean, I don't know if it 0:07:39.680 --> 0:07:41.840 really matters who runs out of the starting lineup now 0:07:41.920 --> 0:07:44.640 to Jason Witten. It does that does matter, and I 0:07:44.640 --> 0:07:46.960 don't know if he's willing to be the backup there. 0:07:47.000 --> 0:07:49.160 But we can see that two tight ends can play. 0:07:49.640 --> 0:07:53.280 But I don't see where Dalton Schultz has to I mean, 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:56.280 where's a role for him. Now, I'm still drafting a 0:07:56.280 --> 0:07:58.200 guy I know. You know, if Witten comes back, that 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:00.200 might change where you draft a player. And you said 0:08:00.600 --> 0:08:02.120 on the Draft Show a few times, it's not a 0:08:02.120 --> 0:08:05.080 strong draft class for tight ends. Really no, it's ironic. 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:09.200 It's not top heavy. It was a fantastic class last year, 0:08:09.280 --> 0:08:11.600 and that is not I mean, there are good players 0:08:11.600 --> 0:08:13.240 in the draft at tight end this year, but it's 0:08:13.240 --> 0:08:15.840 not what it was last year with two to three 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:20.320 first round caliber talents. You know, guys that were that 0:08:20.400 --> 0:08:21.960 you could have gotten in the third round that might 0:08:22.000 --> 0:08:23.680 have been able to push first starting job. I don't 0:08:23.680 --> 0:08:25.360 think you're going to see that this year. There is 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:27.040 a tight end. I think that's going to be a 0:08:27.040 --> 0:08:30.400 free agent Eric Ebron. Yeah. Now, now he's a guy 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:34.160 that is you're he's a guy that Jerry Jones would 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:37.120 would like to sign because he's a former first round pick. 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:40.640 I think tenth overall didn't really work out for the Lions, 0:08:40.720 --> 0:08:44.160 went to the Colts pretty good, like twenty six years old. 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:47.640 That's a guy, which yeah, no, I mean he was. 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:52.480 He was the twenty fourteen draft class. So he's Zack 0:08:52.559 --> 0:08:55.240 Martin's draft class. He's definitely he's not twenty six then 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:57.600 he Well, it depends on I mean, all those guys 0:08:57.640 --> 0:08:59.160 come out at different points. I don't know how old 0:08:59.240 --> 0:09:01.920 Eric Ebron is, but I do know he was good 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:03.920 enough in Indianapolis that I think he would be a 0:09:03.960 --> 0:09:05.960 little more expensive than the Cowboys would want to pay 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:09.640 for him in free agency. I think he's also like 0:09:09.679 --> 0:09:11.600 the Colts are not in a hurry to resign him. 0:09:11.720 --> 0:09:14.679 Chris Ballard up there like made it pretty clear that 0:09:14.720 --> 0:09:16.880 he was not a priority. So, like you wonder about 0:09:17.000 --> 0:09:19.320 fit in terms of like locker room culture and stuff 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:22.760 like that. And he's and he is another big Darwin 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:26.880 type of like pass catcher. Thirteen touchdowns in eighteen last 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:31.520 year was kind of not great, but I mean he's 0:09:31.520 --> 0:09:34.280 a pass catcher. He's in red zone three. Yeah, for sure, 0:09:34.679 --> 0:09:37.479 that's important too. That's what the position has become anyway. 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:39.680 I mean, like and that's I mean, that's always been 0:09:39.720 --> 0:09:41.880 the argument about Jason Witton anyway, rights like, there just 0:09:41.880 --> 0:09:43.959 aren't that many guys that can do it all anymore. 0:09:44.040 --> 0:09:47.920 It's become too much of a pass happy sport. And 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:50.600 I do I wonder about that because like under Jason Garrett, 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:52.240 that was always going to be the things like, well 0:09:52.240 --> 0:09:54.160 can he block? We don't want him if you can't block? 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:56.000 Is that going to be the thing under Mike McCarthy, 0:09:56.000 --> 0:09:58.440 I'm not one hundred percent sure what are you going 0:09:58.480 --> 0:09:59.880 to say? Something else? I was going to ask, are 0:09:59.920 --> 0:10:02.679 you what are you doing it? You're bringing them back now? 0:10:03.880 --> 0:10:06.640 And I you know, people attack me when I write 0:10:06.840 --> 0:10:09.360 things down on some almost Cowboys, and I put that 0:10:09.400 --> 0:10:13.360 out because and I get it from as fans perspective. 0:10:13.800 --> 0:10:16.400 You want your guy. You love Jason Witten what he's done, 0:10:16.400 --> 0:10:18.040 but I think that at this point he kind of 0:10:18.200 --> 0:10:22.320 slows you down, and even though he has made some 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:24.280 good things for you, he made some good things for 0:10:24.320 --> 0:10:27.440 you last year, at this point I think that the 0:10:27.559 --> 0:10:31.160 Cowboys just need someone more dynamic and let Blake Jarwin 0:10:31.320 --> 0:10:33.560 kind of take a bigger role there, but bring somebody 0:10:33.600 --> 0:10:35.320 else that you know, what do you want to be? 0:10:35.400 --> 0:10:36.880 What do you want to be? As a football team, 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:41.400 you want to be young, fast, and cheap, like honestly 0:10:41.400 --> 0:10:43.880 in the NFL, like, those are three of my biggest things. 0:10:44.440 --> 0:10:46.760 Jason Witten's not any of those things at this point 0:10:46.760 --> 0:10:49.599 in his career. And I mean he's not super expensive. 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:52.120 Says that. Who says young, fast and keep me? I 0:10:52.160 --> 0:10:54.719 just did, Okay, but ye act like that's the thing, 0:10:54.800 --> 0:10:57.880 like I think it is. That's I mean, you want young, durable. 0:10:58.040 --> 0:10:59.960 If you're just gonna take three things, you're not gonna 0:11:00.120 --> 0:11:02.280 take young, fast, and chieved. Well, I mean, like talented 0:11:02.400 --> 0:11:04.920 is obviously like the number one. Those renegade well you 0:11:05.000 --> 0:11:07.079 know what my problem is now, they're not fast or 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:09.240 they'd be in the NFL like that's and most of 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:11.920 them aren't young either because they already had failed NFL career. 0:11:11.960 --> 0:11:15.520 They're still relatively failed. But last year, sorry, I was 0:11:15.720 --> 0:11:18.160 going to say last year, I was excited of him 0:11:18.200 --> 0:11:21.880 coming back because I thought, oh wow, okay, Dad can 0:11:21.920 --> 0:11:24.360 definitely use him in the red zone and he can 0:11:24.440 --> 0:11:28.320 definitely improve that whole area where the Cowboys struggled in 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:32.040 the previous year. And it wasn't the case like last year. 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:35.640 The red zone didn't improve that much. They were still struggling. 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:39.240 So to me, there wasn't much of a difference there of, 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:45.079 you know, having him and not having him. Yeah, I mean, okay, 0:11:45.440 --> 0:11:48.000 I see that point too. I'm still thinking about this 0:11:48.000 --> 0:11:51.800 one though as well, because the thing is is Dak 0:11:51.960 --> 0:11:54.640 zeke and you wanted to pay these guys. You know, 0:11:54.720 --> 0:11:56.440 you want to keep them. You want to keep Dak, right, 0:11:56.480 --> 0:11:58.640 you know. I mean, so, I mean, he's not going 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:01.079 to be cheap, and he's not going to be young, 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:03.640 and you're banking on the fact that his experience is 0:12:03.679 --> 0:12:06.280 going to help back is very young by quarterbacks time. 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:10.400 But I still think that experience matters. You could convince 0:12:10.480 --> 0:12:13.760 me that Jason Witten doesn't need to be here, maybe 0:12:13.800 --> 0:12:18.839 because of more of a changing of philosophy, changing the guard, 0:12:18.880 --> 0:12:22.360 turn the page, let's get done this way. I can 0:12:22.520 --> 0:12:25.120 maybe see that. But I don't believe that that he 0:12:25.120 --> 0:12:27.000 held him back. I mean, it was number one offense 0:12:27.040 --> 0:12:29.439 in the league. I don't think he was holding them back. 0:12:29.600 --> 0:12:32.760 I don't think he was holding them back. But I 0:12:32.800 --> 0:12:35.880 just don't I'm not convinced that the value he brought 0:12:36.000 --> 0:12:38.640 was was all that much, honestly, So what are you 0:12:38.679 --> 0:12:42.120 trying to say? You want him back or no. I yeah, 0:12:42.160 --> 0:12:46.440 I mean if if, if Jason Witten can can kind 0:12:46.480 --> 0:12:49.199 of loosen the grip a little bit as far as 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:51.320 how much he plays, which I think that we saw 0:12:51.320 --> 0:12:53.000 that a little bit last year. We'll play see more 0:12:53.040 --> 0:12:55.000 of it then then Yeah, I don't see any reason 0:12:55.040 --> 0:12:58.120 why he couldn't come back. Um, I don't think it's 0:12:58.120 --> 0:13:01.000 gonna be about money. I still want to see Blake Jarwin, 0:13:01.360 --> 0:13:03.960 but I'm not convinced Blake Jarwin's just been, you know, 0:13:04.040 --> 0:13:07.160 sitting there with like shackles on, just ready to bust 0:13:07.200 --> 0:13:08.560 out and go to the Hall of Fame. I mean, 0:13:08.600 --> 0:13:10.160 I'm not ready to see that. But I do think 0:13:10.240 --> 0:13:13.679 he's dynamic and needs to play more. But there's nobody 0:13:13.679 --> 0:13:16.079 else on the roster, and I'm like, well, ah, I mean, 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:17.920 who's he gonna play in front of him? It's just 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:22.240 it's so it's like a needlessly complicated problem. Though, is like, 0:13:23.520 --> 0:13:25.400 and You're like, I don't think Blake Jarwin's like a 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:27.840 pro bowler, but I think he's he's a dynamic player. 0:13:27.880 --> 0:13:29.400 You saw what he could do in the seam, you 0:13:29.440 --> 0:13:30.679 saw what he could do in the red zone, you 0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:33.560 saw what he can do after the catch that's really important. 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:35.679 That's something that hasn't been part of Jason Witten's came 0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:37.840 in a while. If he would be Antonio Gates and 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:41.520 do that role and Antonio Gates, the WHO Hall of 0:13:41.520 --> 0:13:44.800 Famer numbers, all that for the Chargers, and then they 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:48.440 drafted Hunter or Henry Yeah, and you know they they 0:13:48.559 --> 0:13:50.880 basically he I mean, he's been on the team, but 0:13:50.960 --> 0:13:53.040 he hasn't really been like the main guy to be. 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.560 And if that was fine, if he was fine with 0:13:55.559 --> 0:13:56.839 that and he wanted to do it, like I'm not 0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:59.400 gonna raise a stink about it, that's totally fine. But 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:03.480 at that point, like why though? Like why? And and 0:14:03.520 --> 0:14:06.959 then he's Jason Witten the backup and like he's on 0:14:07.120 --> 0:14:09.720 TV and he's still talking on Thursdays, but he's not 0:14:09.760 --> 0:14:12.600 really playing as much. And it's it's not a distraction, 0:14:12.679 --> 0:14:15.200 but it's just like, but what are you doing it for? 0:14:15.440 --> 0:14:18.760 Like what's the value versus the spotlight? Whereas you could 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:22.720 roll Blake jar went into the starting role and draft 0:14:22.760 --> 0:14:25.960 a guy and he could serve the same purpose and 0:14:26.000 --> 0:14:28.000 he would just be, oh, yeah, that's the guy we 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:30.400 drafted in the third round. So what if he is 0:14:30.440 --> 0:14:35.200 a a backup player who can who can contribute, can play, 0:14:35.280 --> 0:14:37.280 and he's gonna help these young guys in there in 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:40.400 the locker room. Like I said, I'd be fine with that. 0:14:40.400 --> 0:14:42.960 That doesn't bother me. I just I don't think it's 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:45.960 all that valuable. I just why and and and you 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:54.600 like that? Well, I knew League getting a pass. Why 0:14:54.760 --> 0:14:56.840 Sean League get to come and do this in well, 0:14:56.920 --> 0:14:58.680 because he's Sean Lee and all that. I mean, why 0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:02.000 not Witten? Because Shaun Lee played such a more vital 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:04.880 role to this team in my opinion, in all honesty, 0:15:05.080 --> 0:15:09.360 and you're you yeah, absolutely, because he started third. He 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.800 started ten games like the last ten games of the 0:15:11.880 --> 0:15:14.200 year when your first round pick went down, had a 0:15:14.360 --> 0:15:17.280 hundred depending on if you use coaches tape for official 0:15:17.320 --> 0:15:19.320 stats keepers, he had like eighty two one hundred and 0:15:19.360 --> 0:15:22.280 twenty tackles played some of the bet likes, played at 0:15:22.360 --> 0:15:25.480 a really high level, and held your lineback and corp together, 0:15:25.600 --> 0:15:29.120 which maybe wasn't the worst position group on your team, 0:15:29.160 --> 0:15:33.920 but was certainly the most disappointing. Like absolutely, and Blake. 0:15:34.040 --> 0:15:36.160 Like Blake, Jarwin didn't set the world on fire by 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:38.640 any means, but he showed glimpses of ability when he 0:15:38.680 --> 0:15:41.200 got his chances, and I just, like I said, I 0:15:41.240 --> 0:15:43.800 mean it, Shaun Lee said that he wants to play, 0:15:43.880 --> 0:15:45.520 and I just stop. But why are you trying to 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:49.360 cost drama where there's no need. I'm just saying, there 0:15:49.440 --> 0:15:51.920 any doubt that Sean Lee says he wants to play. 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:53.560 I mean, I bet they're going to resign him. I 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:55.680 think Sean Lee has needed much more on this team 0:15:55.680 --> 0:15:57.680 than Jason Witten is right now at this moment in 0:15:57.680 --> 0:16:00.600 their careers. Okay, I think, so go with you on 0:16:00.640 --> 0:16:05.760 that one, because because Sean Lee is needed. But hey, 0:16:05.920 --> 0:16:09.560 let's let's be honest. Sean Lee can get hurt like 0:16:09.600 --> 0:16:12.520 that and will get hurt. And he didn't this year 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:15.520 because he didn't play. He played the last ten games 0:16:15.520 --> 0:16:18.200 he started them, he played thirteen. I think I think 0:16:18.200 --> 0:16:21.040 he might have even started thirteen. He started thirteen games. 0:16:21.080 --> 0:16:23.560 I'm sorry. He started three at sam when everybody was healthy, 0:16:23.800 --> 0:16:25.720 and he started like the last nine games of the 0:16:25.800 --> 0:16:28.640 year because Layton's neck was hurt. He played a lot 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:31.200 this year, and he played well. But it's such a 0:16:31.280 --> 0:16:34.560 different position too. It's like you can't to me, you 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.520 can't really compare the two because of the roles on 0:16:37.560 --> 0:16:42.440 the field. It's just completely different. I don't think so. 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:46.280 To me, you do way more as a linebacker. You 0:16:46.360 --> 0:16:48.600 can get hurt. That's when you step in and Shawn 0:16:48.640 --> 0:16:50.800 Lee is ready to go and attack with some power. 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:56.280 He's faster, he moves faster still, he's getting up thirty 0:16:56.280 --> 0:16:59.240 in age. But when starting to slow down, now, I 0:16:59.360 --> 0:17:02.720 don't I wouldn't mind. Lee is slowing down too. He's 0:17:02.760 --> 0:17:06.600 been slowing down. He absolutely is. Okay, yes, I agree. 0:17:06.680 --> 0:17:11.840 Who's more reliable? Jason Winton? All right, yeah, I mean 0:17:12.400 --> 0:17:15.080 it's all I'm saying is and this is why are 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:18.320 we confining the two? Well, because they're older and they're good, 0:17:18.359 --> 0:17:20.000 and they're veterans, and they're white and all that stuff. 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:21.760 I mean, they're just easy to do. It's easy to 0:17:21.840 --> 0:17:24.080 say that. I mean, you don't even easy to compare 0:17:24.119 --> 0:17:26.600 these two guys. They are the last They are the 0:17:26.720 --> 0:17:29.879 last holdovers from the older era of the Cowboys, like 0:17:29.920 --> 0:17:32.320 the mid two thousand Cowboys. They're the last guys here 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:37.359 and they bring a veteran, experienced, tough, gritty type of 0:17:37.400 --> 0:17:41.280 player to the locker room. And I mean, again, I 0:17:41.320 --> 0:17:42.880 love Sean Lee and I love the fact that he's 0:17:42.920 --> 0:17:45.760 coming back. I'm just saying that just yet. Well, I 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:47.359 think he wants to play. He wants to play. He 0:17:47.400 --> 0:17:49.199 could be in the same boat, and for all we know, 0:17:49.320 --> 0:17:51.080 he could be in the exact same boat. He just 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:54.360 the award. He hasn't spoken publicly because he's Sean Lee. 0:17:54.400 --> 0:17:56.639 He doesn't really like to do that. Yeah, like he 0:17:56.640 --> 0:17:59.440 could do the exact same thing where free agency rolls 0:17:59.440 --> 0:18:03.240 around and the Cowboys are like, we love you, like 0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:05.320 we would love to have you. If you're willing to 0:18:05.359 --> 0:18:08.000 go into the season as the backup, you get forty 0:18:08.040 --> 0:18:10.280 percent of the snaps. If everything goes well, maybe you 0:18:10.280 --> 0:18:14.160 start if somebody gets hurt. And he could say, screw that, right, 0:18:14.200 --> 0:18:15.680 I got a house on the West Coast and the 0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:18.320 Chargers need a starting linebacker more than you do. So 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:20.680 here I go, like, we don't know what's going to happen. True, 0:18:20.960 --> 0:18:22.880 he does seem like the type of guy that would 0:18:22.920 --> 0:18:27.080 go play for another team more than Wittenwood. To me, 0:18:27.240 --> 0:18:29.160 I have a hard time imagining either one of them 0:18:29.160 --> 0:18:31.639 doing it, to be honest with you, just because we 0:18:31.720 --> 0:18:33.840 haven't ever seen it, and like they kind of embody 0:18:33.920 --> 0:18:38.199 the whole Cowboys spirit. So well, yeah, all right, I 0:18:38.200 --> 0:18:40.760 don't know. Well, I didn't expect to spend the whole 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:44.080 segment talking about Thailand. But that's okay. That's interesting. Let's 0:18:44.080 --> 0:18:46.000 go ahead and take our first break, and when we 0:18:46.040 --> 0:18:49.440 come back, let's start discussing once again the quarterback position. 0:18:49.520 --> 0:18:52.240 But all these free agent guys are in the market 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:55.840 right now. 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