Cowboys: Jason Witten improving, but status for opener uncertain

Jason Witten says there has been progress, but he doesn't have a timetable for a return. (Getty Images)

Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten is scheduled to meet with doctors Tuesday to check out his lacerated spleen, a setback that has his status for the Sept. 5 season opener with the Giants in question.

Witten said there has been progress, but he doesn't have a timetable for a return, although he's said the opener is the target date. According to team sources, the Cowboys are not thinking surgery will be needed for the injury, which would be season-ending.

“It's feeling a lot better than it was,” Witten said Thursday. “Every day I feel better, but still there's a lot of uncertainty out there for me. Again, I've just got to let it heal up, and I'm sure we'll evaluate it next week and see where we're at and go from there.”

Coach Jason Garrett said Witten will be re-evaluated Tuesday.

“Hopefully, we can get an OK from that,” Garrett said. “But this is all normal within the process of what we thought right from the outset. But everything has come back positive for him and we're hopeful that he can return sooner rather than later.”

If Witten can play against the Giants, it's possible he could wear a flak jacket, but he said those discussions are premature.

“Honestly, we haven't even spoken about that,” Witten said. “I don't even think we've gotten to that point where we can even talk about it. Leading up to this game, I'm starting to feel better, which is positive for me, but again, I'm still in idle mode right now.”

Witten suffered the injury against the Raiders on Aug. 13 when he took a shot to the midsection from Raiders LB Rolando McClain. He immediately went to the sideline but returned for the next series.

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