It looks like the Dallas Cowboys are going to stick with defensive tackle Jay Ratliff in 2013, at least according to head coach Jason Garrett. As noted by NFL.com, Garrett said that he "absolutely" expects Ratliff to be on the roster next season when asked about his future with the team.
Jason Garrett says Jay Ratliff will return to Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are going to keep Jay Ratliff in 2013, according to head coach Jason Garrett.
Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE
Many have expected Ratliff to get released for several reasons. For one, Ratliff was due to make approximately $7 million in 2013 and cutting him would have saved the Cowboys about $1 million against the salary cap. Of course, those aren’t huge savings, which might be the crux of why the Cowboys aren’t planning on releasing him.
But there are other reasons why they might consider parting ways. Ratliff was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol this offseason, barely a month after Cowboys linebacker Jerry Brown died in a DWI accident with another teammate, Josh Brent, as the driver.
Then there's the fact that Ratliff got into a shouting match with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones following a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 2. According to reports at the time, Jones was urging Ratliff to return from a groin injury, and the eight-year NFL veteran responded by yelling at Jones, and the two had to be separated.
On top of all of that, the Cowboys are switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 alignment, so Ratliff will have to switch position at 31 years of age. Last year was also the first year in which Ratliff missed significant time with an injury, as he only managed to play in six games. Due to the injuries, he only managed 16 tackles and had no sacks.
His stats over the years have been somewhat skewed due to multiple position changes, and if he does, in fact, remain with the Cowboys in 2013, he’ll have yet another position switch with which to complicate things.
More in the NFL:
See More:
