Cowboys Rumors: Jason Witten, Dallas Restructure Contract to Create Cap Space

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has reportedly restructured his contract to create an extra $3.5 million in cap space, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

Witten signed a four-year extension just last season, which wasn't set to kick in until 2018. However, the team has been working to create more flexibility with the roster going forward.

As Archer noted, center Travis Frederick also restructured his deal last week.

Per Spotrac, Witten only had a base salary of $1.015 million for 2018 but had a chance to earn more money in incentives, including up to $750,000 in roster bonuses.

He carried a cap hit of nearly $3.4 million for 2018, although this number grows to over $7 million in each of the next three years.

Even at 35 years old, he doesn't appear ready to retire anytime soon. He was quick to discuss his return to the field immediately after his 2017 season ended.

"Oh, I'm back," Witten said in December, per Archer. "I'm coming back. I love playing this game too much, and I know that I can play it at a high level."

On the other hand, his play has declined after 15 years in the league. He finished 2017 with 63 catches and 560 receiving yards, both of which were the lowest since his rookie season in 2003. Still, his five touchdown catches and consistency overall were enough to earn his 11th Pro Bowl selection.

He also hasn't missed a single game since his rookie season.

The reliability makes him worth keeping around, but contract adjustments were necessary in order to afford to keep other top players like Dez Bryant on the roster.