Las Vegas Raiders to sign Jason Witten: Grade, reaction and more
By John Buhler
After coming out of retirement to return to the Dallas Cowboys in 2019, tight end Jason Witten will join the Las Vegas Raiders in his impending free agency.
After doing a less than stellar job of replacing Jon Gruden in the ESPN Monday Night Football booth, longtime Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will reportedly play for Gruden on the 2020 Las Vegas Raiders.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Witten will sign a one-year deal to play for the Silver and Black. His colleague Todd Archer, who covers the Cowboys, reports it will be for $4.75 million. This is the third big name the Raiders have agreed to sign in the upcoming free agency period with Witten joining the likes of linebacker Cory Littleton and quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Witten is a no-doubt future Pro Football Hall of Famer. The tight end is an 11-time Pro Bowler, a two-time First-Team All-Pro and won the 2012 Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
With 1,215 career receptions for 12,977 yards and 72 touchdowns, we have to wonder how much Witten has left in the tank. This has to be his last year in the NFL, right?
Here are the contract details, the national reaction and a grade for Witten going to the Raiders.
Contract Details
Per Archer, it will be a one-year deal worth $4.75 million for Witten to join the Raiders. The state income tax benefits don’t really apply here, as Witten leaves one state without it in Texas to another in Nevada.
He’ll be part of a strong tight end room in Las Vegas in Darren Waller and Foster Moreau.
National Reaction
Former Cowboys’ TE Jason Witten reached agreement on a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, source tells ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2020
A veritable MNF booth in Vegas.
Jason Witten intends to sign a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, ending his time with the Dallas Cowboys after 16 seasons. According to a source, Witten can make up to $4.75 million in 2020. https://t.co/l3dW52GEaw
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 17, 2020
The #Raiders add a (very very) veteran TE in Jason Witten. https://t.co/vf6ViikdWO
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2020
Raiders have come to terms with TE Jason Witten . . . Gruden just loves his tight ends. A good influence for Darren Waller.
— Jerry McDonald (@Jerrymcd) March 17, 2020
I'm happy for Jason Witten, who just signed w the Raiders. I'm sad to see him leave the Cowboys. But I'm not sorry. He has seen his best days. Now he's most valuable as a locker-room presence, blocker and box-office draw, which the Vegas Raiders need.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 17, 2020
Clearly, everybody and their brother knows Witten is getting up there in age. He hasn’t had a 1,000-yard receiving season since 2012, but that’s not really the point of this signing for the Raiders. Gruden loves using the tight end position in his offense. As long as Witten can still move, he’ll run that signature slant pattern of his to 60 catches for 500 yards and three touchdowns.
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Witten will provide veteran leadership to a Raiders team needing a boost in that department. He’ll be key in helping bring along an emerging star at the position in Waller, as well as an underrated red-zone threat in Moreau.
While he’ll average about 100 receiving yards per $1 million on this new contract of his, Witten will help the Raiders do the little things correctly.