By Rainer Sabin / Reporter
rsabin@dallasnews.com | Bio
Jay Ratliff doesn't care about the position he plays, but it seems everyone else does.
"Everybody keeps asking me about that," he said Wednesday.
In recent years, Ratliff, who has been invited to three consecutive Pro Bowls, has emerged as one of the preeminent nose tackles in the NFL. But some wonder whether he would be better served attacking from the edge as a defensive end. Standing 6-4 and weighing 285 pounds, Ratliff doesn't look like a prototypical nose tackle and doesn't play like one either. He's athletic, quick and versatile. That doesn't mean he's going to switch positions, however.
"I feel like you're making a big deal about it," Ratliff shot back at a reporter. "If I am end, I am end. If I am nose, I am nose. Wherever I am needed is where I'm going to be."
Right now, Ratliff has been lining up at a number of different spots as defensive coordinator Rob Ryan experiments with his personnel.
"There are a bunch of pieces to this defense and talented guys who can play more than one role," Ratliff said. "I think that's what Rob is doing right now -- finding who can play what and how many different positions we can play."
rsabin@dallasnews.com | Bio
Jay Ratliff doesn't care about the position he plays, but it seems everyone else does.
"Everybody keeps asking me about that," he said Wednesday.
In recent years, Ratliff, who has been invited to three consecutive Pro Bowls, has emerged as one of the preeminent nose tackles in the NFL. But some wonder whether he would be better served attacking from the edge as a defensive end. Standing 6-4 and weighing 285 pounds, Ratliff doesn't look like a prototypical nose tackle and doesn't play like one either. He's athletic, quick and versatile. That doesn't mean he's going to switch positions, however.
"I feel like you're making a big deal about it," Ratliff shot back at a reporter. "If I am end, I am end. If I am nose, I am nose. Wherever I am needed is where I'm going to be."
Right now, Ratliff has been lining up at a number of different spots as defensive coordinator Rob Ryan experiments with his personnel.
"There are a bunch of pieces to this defense and talented guys who can play more than one role," Ratliff said. "I think that's what Rob is doing right now -- finding who can play what and how many different positions we can play."
