wo weeks after releasing wide receiver Dez Bryant, the
Dallas Cowboys could be facing the loss of another offensive mainstay.
Tight end
Jason Witten plans to retire and join
Monday Night Football as a lead analyst, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
Witten was set to meet with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before finalizing the decision, Mortensen reported.
A 15-year veteran, Witten has been a mainstay of the Cowboys' offense and the franchise's all-time leader in career receiving yards (12,448), catches (1,152) and games played (239). He has been selected to 11 Pro Bowls and has had at least 60 catches since his second season in the NFL.
Witten's retirement would leave Dallas' group of pass catchers with few established options. Terrance Williams is the only target returning who had more than 500 receiving yards last year, though the team added Allen Hurns in free agency.
The existing options at tight end are Geoff Swaim, the only returning player at the position to catch a pass last year (two for 25 yards), Rico Gathers and Blake Jarwin.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that the report of Witten's impending decision was "news to us" but that the team was confident about the outlook at tight end.
“We feel really good about our tight ends,” Jones said. “With what we have on our roster with Swaim, Jarwin and Rico, we got some really good football players. We don’t think we’re going into a season without a good tight end.”