OXNARD, Calif. -- Jason Witten's retirement led some to agonize about a leadership void for this young Cowboys team.

Watching Sean Lee adroitly handle the first, tumultuous days of training camp should ease those concerns.

"Jason always led by example," Lee said. "He was a role model for me.

"He said when you face something, you face it head on."

That's what Lee has done with questions about the national anthem. It's what he did several days ago in the wake of Dez Bryant's unexpected Twitter rant.

Lee knew the Cowboys leadership would be tested early in camp. He had no idea it would come from a former teammate who called him a snake and owner Jerry Jones clueless while disparaging the play calling.

Those comments were out for less than an hour before Lee told reporters that while he loved Bryant, the two did butt heads because he felt the receiver needed to be more accountable to his teammates when he was with the Cowboys. He concluded his brief statement by saying Bryant should look at himself and hold himself accountable.

Lee stood firm, made his point and moved on. He has no interest in revisiting Bryant's comments.

"I said what I said," Lee replied. "I wish him the best."

No one on the club has appointed Lee as Witten's successor. That will be handled by committee in much the same way the team will approach filling Witten's job at tight end.

The ironic twist is that Bryant's attack -- and Lee's response -- actually elevated the linebacker's status on the team. It's the moment that made Lee the public face of the leadership council Witten presided over for years under head coach Jason Garrett.

"In general, I knew when Witten left that situations were going to come up," Lee said. "I was going to have to step up big time, no matter what that situation was."

The team's leadership council, comprised of 14 players, convened in May shortly after Witten announced his retirement. One thing the Pro Bowl tight end had told his teammates through the years is that it's not enough to lead. You must find a way to pass that leadership down to others for the team's continued success.

All of the players on the council acknowledged they would need to take a more active role in Witten's absence. Defensive end Tyrone Crawford did that after the team's first practice of camp when he sensed constant questions about Jones' stance on the anthem could create an issue.

"It's difficult," Crawford said. "It's why I had to have a conversation with the team.

"We're not playing any of that this year. We're not talking about anything controversial. Everything is going to be about football, and that is what we have to focus on. There are going to be things that come up, but we have to do a good job to block them out."

Crawford and Lee are two players that lend a veteran face to what leadership looks like without Witten. Quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott are part of the young wave.

"They have the personality and the skill set to do it," Lee said. "They're both incredible guys with great personalities and unbelievable football players.

"Both of them, since they got here, guys have rallied around them. Every year you can see them take more and more control. They're ready to be in this role, and they're doing an unbelievable job."

Crawford is adamant that no one person can assume Witten's leadership role. "That's a whole other type of leader," he said.

But Crawford, Lee and the rest of the council will try.

A large part of leadership takes place behind the scenes. It's the way a player pushes himself in workouts, the time he puts into film study and how he conducts himself in the meeting room. It's the way he privately confronts a teammate over his behavior or challenges him to be accountable.

And then there are the moments for all to see.

"When Jason left he said he felt like we had a lot of guys ready to step into these roles," Lee said. "I've always said he's been training us from Day One. On the football field, he was gracious enough to teach us football, but along the way he also taught us leadership in any situation that came up.

"He was really teaching us how to lead and do it the right way.

"I feel like I owe it to the guys I've played with, I feel like I owe it to my teammates to step up. That's something I care about greatly -- being a leader and helping this team."

Catch David Moore on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers at 9:35 a.m. and The Hardline at 4:30 p.m. every Monday through Friday during training camp.

Twitter: @DavidMooreDMN