Dallas Cowboys

How will the Dallas Cowboys approach the second round of the NFL Draft?

Published Apr. 27, 2018 7:00 p.m. ET

The Dallas Cowboys have nine picks over the final six rounds of the NFL draft amid an ESPN report that tight end Jason Witten plans to retire after 15 seasons and join the "Monday Night Football" telecast.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones says Witten hasn't made a final decision and wanted the weekend to think about his future. The Cowboys will have to decide whether they need to take another tight end.

Dallas already had one tight end retire this month. James Hanna, mostly a blocker as Witten's backup, gave up after a two-year battle with a knee injury.

Executive vice president Stephen Jones has expressed confidence in the other three tight ends on the roster: Geoff Swaim, Blake Jarwin and former Baylor basketball player Rico Gathers.

Swaim, a seventh-round pick out of Texas in 2015, has the most experience with nine catches for 94 yards in 28 games over three seasons.

Jarwin, undrafted a year ago, spent most of the season on the practice squad. Gathers hasn't played a regular-season game in two seasons, missing all of last year after sustaining a concussion in training camp.

The Cowboys weren't afraid to take tight ends high in the draft with Witten as the starter. They've made three second-round picks since 2003: Anthony Fasano (2006), Martellus Bennett (2008) and Gavin Escobar (2013).