Getty Las Vegas Raiders TE Jason Witten.
One of the most surprising moves the Las Vegas Raiders was bringing in tight end Jason Witten, who has played almost two decades in the NFL. The thing that was most surprising about the signing is that played all 16 years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. It seems odd for him to make such a big change this late in his career but he clearly liked what he saw from the Raiders.
With training camp starting up, the team released the first look of Witten in Raiders gear and it’s weird, to say the least.
Silver and Black looks good on @JasonWitten.
There’s no doubt he looks good in silver and black but it’s just strange to see a player spend 16 years in one uniform and then switch it up late in their career.
Internet Reacts to Witten’s New Look
Witten is an icon and one of the best tight ends to ever play in the NFL so it’s natural that fans would have a visceral reaction to his new look.
Jason Witten in a #Raiders uniform… just doesn’t look right.
Meet Jason Witten’s evil twin: Mason Witten.
Jason Witten in 2019 on the Cowboys vs Jason Witten in 2020 on the Raiders is a mood.
I knew it would look bad, but I didn’t think Jason Witten would look this bad in a Raiders uniform…
Not only is the change in uniform weird, but he’s also showing off his new shaved head look. It’s going to take some getting used to but every player looks good in silver and black, including Witten.
The Raiders have actually taken on a lot of living NFL legends late in their careers. Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice and Rod Woodson just to name a few. Each of those guys were able to be impact players for the team during their short stints. Perhaps Witten can also.
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How Big Will Witten’s Role Be With Raiders?
Witten was a really big name for the Raiders to add but they really didn’t need a tight end. Darren Waller and Foster Moreau are two young and exciting tight ends who are both barely scratching the surface of their potential. However, that’s probably the reason Jon Gruden wanted to bring Witten in.
He’s a very strong leader and has spent a lot of years being one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL. As good as Waller was last season, it was his first notable year since getting drafted. Having a player like Witten around could help keep Waller from being a one-hit-wonder.
There’s also the fact that the Raiders were terrible when near the goal line last season. Waller is an amazing deep threat for a tight end but he didn’t do much when the team was close to the end zone. Witten may be old but he should be good for at least a few short touchdowns this year.
The addition of Witten shouldn’t stunt the development of Moreau or Waller, if anything it’ll help. He’ll probably only be around for one or two years and then sail into retirement (he’s already done it once). There’s a lot of temptation in the city of Las Vegas and there’s also a lot of uncertainty in the world with COVID-19 not under control yet. Having strong leaders like Witten is important for the Raiders right now.
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