Some fans were left scratching their heads when the Las Vegas Raiders signed ex-Cowboys tight end Jason Witten to a one-year deal. Despite what some may feel, this appears to make sense for the Silver and Black.
The tight end position is definitely a strength for the Raiders. This is mostly due to the emergence of Pro Bowl snub Darren Waller as well as great play by Foster Moreau and Derek Carrier. In spite of that, the team only helps itself by bringing in a future NFL Hall of Famer who brings positive veteran leadership.
Related: Raiders Recap: Early Free Agent Signings
Raider Nation Indifferent Towards Raiders Signing Jason Witten
Head coach Jon Gruden and Raiders legend Lincoln Kennedy had nothing but good things to say about Witten. Kennedy mentioned that:
Some of the nation have questioned why sign Witten? Last yr the raiders ran a lot of multiple TE sets due to lack of WR depth. Witten adds to those packages. He’s a good route runner and knows how to get open. This is a good short term move for the Raiders. I like it.
Gruden for his part believes that brining in Written was a no brainer and despite his age, he can still be a contributor. We all know Gruden loves his veterans so this move definitely has his name all over it.
#Raiders HC Jon Gruden told me that signing 16-year #Cowboys TE Jason Witten was “a no-brainer†because of the leadership, work ethic and toughness he brings to a young team. “There’s nothing he still can’t do,†Gruden said.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) March 17, 2020
A final note, the Raider Ramble ran a poll to gauge if Raider Nation agrees with Gruden’s assessment. About 34% of the fans who voted actuality agreed with Gruden’s notion that adding Witten was a good move. Funny enough, most fans don’t seem to care too much about the signing. Almost half gave the “meh” nod.
Okay #RaiderNation what are your thoughts on the recently released numbers for TE Jason Witten? Overpaying? Or perhaps, considering Foster Moreau might not be back for a while… sound off GO! #NFLFreeAgency
— RaiderRamble.comâ„¢ (@TheRaiderRamble) March 22, 2020
For now, we can be sure the Raiders added quality depth to the position. In other words, you can bet that many potential voters would have wanted nothing but big names. Worst case scenario, Witten is the next Raiders tight end coach if all this is true.
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