Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten is hopeful that wide receiver Dez Bryant will return to his side's practice sessions in the near future.

The 26-year-old has made the decision not to participate in his side's voluntary practices as he and the club could not come to an agreement on a long-term deal, with the player being designated with the franchise tag as a result.

However, Witten is confident that Bryant will be ready for action and on top form when he does decide to return to the club.

"You'd love to have Dez there," Witten told reporters. "I think that would be great. Dez loves playing ball. He's a great teammate. You miss him when he's not out there because of the passion and the energy that he brings.

"He'll be there. He's taking care of himself. He's going to be ready. It's just part of the business. Hopefully it gets worked out. But if there's going to be one guy that's ready, it's going to be Dez Bryant."

Bryant recorded 88 receptions for 1,320 yards along with 16 touchdowns for the Cowboys last season.