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**gruntbygod** · 12-14-2007, 11:07 PM

http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cf...3B3EC17C9B1CAB

Quote:

Every week it seems head coach Wade Phillips can't get through a press conference without singing the praises of nose tackle Jay Ratliff.

On Friday, the usually-quiet Ratliff was probably the one singing - all the way to the bank.

The Cowboys avoided free agency next year with Ratliff by signing him to a five-year contract extension worth $20.5 million, including an $8 million signing bonus.

Ratliff, a seventh-round pick in 2005, was scheduled to be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, and the Cowboys certainly would've tendered their starting nose tackle higher than his original seventh-round tender.

As it turned out, the Cowboys just ensured themselves of keeping Ratliff in the mix for the next five years.

Ratliff has been a pleasant surprise as a replacement for Jason Ferguson, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering a torn biceps injury in Week One.

While some questioned whether Ratliff (6-4, 298) had an adequate frame to handle the season-long grind at nose tackle, the third-year veteran from Auburn has more than pulled his own weight. Ratliff has 24 tackles this season with 1 ½ sacks, but is second on the team with 13 quarterback pressures.

"He's got such a great motor," Phillips says of Ratliff. "He's athletic and he's a good pass rusher, which is hard to find. You want as many good pass rushers as you can have. He was already on our dime and on our sub packages. I thought he would be a good run player too, and he's proved to be that. It's pretty amazing that he's an undersized end playing nose guard."

I think this commitment means we could be shopping Spears this offseason

**Serrated Shadow** · 12-15-2007, 01:17 AM

hells yeah. I'd love to get a good pick or two for Spears.

**gruntbygod** · 12-15-2007, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serrated Shadow

hells yeah. I'd love to get a good pick or two for Spears.

I would rather get a DB like Fabian Washington, Michael Huff or Terence McGee

Aundre · 12-15-2007, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruntbygod

I would rather get a DB like Fabian Washington, Michael Huff or Terence McGee

I'll take Huff..... Washington is awful, hes a burner with no coverage skills or defensive awareness and only got his draft stock moved up cause he can supposedly run a 4.3 but its obvious thats not in pads cause hes always getting worked

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