Jason Witten Will Miss Preseason with Spleen Injury

The Dallas Cowboys are preparing for a major run at a Super Bowl in 2012, but the road to glory has gotten much tougher.

Reports started to surface via The Dan Patrick Show’s Paul Pabst that star tight end Jason Witten suffered a spleen injury in Monday’s game against the Oakland Raiders. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio then reported that Witten will miss the rest of the preseason.

UPDATE: Wednesday, August 15, 11:50 a.m. ET by Donald Wood

The Dallas Cowboys organization is in dire straits right now, as more news about their injured star tight end Jason Witten continues to come to fruition.

ESPN’s Ed Werder is reporting on Twitter about the extent of Witten’s spleen injury and the timetable for a return:

"

Jason Witten injured spleen but not believed ruptured. Hope is no surgery and return in 2-3 weeks. Absence far longer if surgery needed

— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) August 15, 2012"

This is a very serious injury that has the potential to get even more serious if the situation worsens any further. Dallas must take every precaution necessary to ensure that their star is 100 percent healthy before taking the field again.

While Cowboys fans are worried about the team’s performance on the field, an injury to the spleen could be very dangerous to a person’s health. If it has to be removed eventually, it will cost the tight end a considerable amount of time.

---------End of Update--------

The reports also claim that the injury could cost the Cowboys' premier offensive weapon Week 1 of the regular season due to the fact that the game is on a Wednesday.

While surgery is still a possibility, all reports so far have the team believing that surgery will be unnecessary. The Cowboys better hope so.

Pro Football Talk's report claims that Witten suffered the injury during a hit from Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain:

"

A source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that Witten indeed suffered a spleen injury, which resulted in internal bleeding. Per the source, Witten will miss the rest of the preseason.

At this time, it’s not believed that surgery will be required.  But it hasn’t completely been ruled out.

"

For the Cowboys, the past few injury-plagued seasons are still fresh on their minds, and this is not what they want to see from their first preseason game. Witten is star quarterback Tony Romo’s safety valve when things get tough, and without him the team is in serious trouble.

Witten was looking to come off a solid but not Witten-like season of 79 catches for 942 yards and five touchdowns and put up stellar numbers like he did in 2010, when he had 94 catches for 1,002 yards and nine touchdowns.

Now with Witten missing at least three weeks of practice and game-speed preseason action, Jerry Jones and the Dallas franchise have to realize that he will start the season slowly and have to work into shape.

If Witten can avoid surgery and come back 100 percent healthy, he will be ready to help his team just a week or two after returning to the lineup.

If he has to have surgery, though, there is a serious potential for missing substantial time.

Dallas is definitely in a precarious position.

Check back for more on the National Football League as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s NFL page to get your fill of all things football.

Follow @Donald_Wood