"Jason Witten, Bradie James and DeMarcus Ware have been on the opposite side of the negotiating table with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before.

Witten signed a six-year, $29 million extension in 2006; James signed a five-year, $20 million deal in '06; and Ware received six years and $78 million in 2009.

They left happy.

This time, Witten, James and Ware, as the Cowboys' player representatives, are opposite Jones in a dispute between the players and the owners. Not everyone is promised to leave smiling.

"I try to keep it as business," Witten said at the Taste of the NFL event Sunday. "I'm extremely loyal and appreciative to the Jones family and every opportunity they have given me. It's a special and unique situation where we play, how involved they are in the program. You love playing for them."

Witten said he will have no hard feelings no matter how, or when, the lockout ends.

The lockout is more than a month old, having started March 11. Aside from Sunday night's charity event, when the team was given a special exemption, the players are not allowed to talk to their coaches. They also cannot work out at Valley Ranch.

The team's off-season program, including organized team activities, would be well under way by now.

As it is, several players are working out at Southlake Carroll under the supervision of the Cowboys' former assistant strength and conditioning coach, Todd Devers. Witten and offensive linemen Marc Colombo, Doug Free and Kyle Kosier are among those paying Devers to keep them in shape. Others are working out at the Michael Johnson Performance Center in McKinney."