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Jason Witten might not finish his career in Dallas? He wouldn’t be the first longtime Cowboys star to leave

We don’t have to like Witten wearing another uniform, but we should respect it if it happens.

FRISCO - If Jason Witten wants to play a 17th NFL season -- it certainly sounds like he does -- then he should.

And if that means Witten must wear another logo on his helmet, then so be it.

We don’t have to like it, but we should respect it.

There’s a finite amount of time Witten can play the game he loves. As long as he can find a team to employ him, then he should play.

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After all, Emmitt Smith, one of the greatest Cowboys ever, played his last two seasons in Arizona. Defensive end DeMarcus Ware played his last three seasons in Denver and earned a Super Bowl ring.

And don’t forget lineman Larry Allen spent his last two years in San Francisco.

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It happens.

Witten is pragmatic about his future after catching 63 passes for 529 yards (8.4 yards per catch) and four touchdowns.

Besides, he returned from the Monday Night Football broadcast booth to compete for a Super Bowl championship, not an 8-8 season that resulted in coach Jason Garrett losing his job.

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“I was pretty upset down the stretch. I knew it was going to be hard,” Witten said last week on JaM Session on ESPN Dallas 103.3 [KESN-FM]. “Nobody says you’re going to come back and win. That’s not how it works.”

For Witten, among the most productive tight ends in NFL history, the yardage was his lowest total since his rookie season. His 63 catches matched his 2017 numbers, but both were also Witten’s lowest total since his first year with the Cowboys in 2003.

Witten played 845 snaps last season (75.4%). Backup tight end Blake Jarwin played 434 snaps (38.7%). Witten had two receptions of 20 yards or more. Jarwin had eight on just 31 catches.

Jarwin needs more playing time because he’s creates mismatches for opposing defenses, and gives the offense a dimension Witten can’t these days. He doesn’t necessarily need to start, but Jarwin should play more than 27 snaps a game.

Jarwin’s game resembles that of tight end Jimmy Graham. In the 12 games new Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy called plays for Green Bay in 2018, the tight end caught 44 passes for 536 yards and two touchdowns.

Witten has met with McCarthy and they will talk again soon as Witten figures out what the future holds over the next 5-6 weeks. McCarthy must also figure how Witten fits into the team’s plans.

It’s a complicated question.

McCarthy has no ties to the Cowboys. He has zero history with the franchise, while Witten has a huge mural on a wall next to the dining area.

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“I was proud of the way I played,” Witten said of his 2019 season. “It’s a different offense and a different role than 2008, 2009 and 2010. Am I the same player than I was when I was 27? Probably not. I still have a lot to give to a team and can help a team win.”

Witten is the consummate professional and team player, but his words carry weight in the locker room and the front office. There’s a chance McCarthy doesn’t want to deal with an aging veteran who owns a powerful voice.

It’s the same reason Bill Parcells didn’t want Smith when he took the job, and why he battled with Allen his first couple of years in Dallas.

It’s not personal. It’s about comfort for both parties.

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“When a new coaching staff comes in, there are a lot of changes that happen with that,” Witten said. “The thing for me is finding the right fit.

“If you make a decision to go play and they tell you they don’t want you -- what are you going to do? If I decide I want to play and I find out this isn’t the best opportunity, I’m not going to just not play because I don’t want to put anything else on my helmet. Of course I’m a Cowboy. I’m always going to be a Cowboy.”

But that doesn’t mean he’s going to be wearing a silver helmet with a blue star next season.

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