Mark Slough, the agent representing Dallas Cowboys’ nose tackle Jay Ratliff, was back at Valley Ranch on Wednesday to continue contract discussions with the team.
The fact that Ratliff still has two years remaining on his current contract has proved to be an impediment in the talks, but, according to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News, the two sides have made some progress over the last week or so.
After winning the starting job late in the 2007 season, Ratliff was awarded a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension--a deal that has since proved to be a bargain as, since signing, Ratliff has earned three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may have unwittingly given Ratliff’s people some leverage in negotiations last week at the Cowboys Kickoff Luncheon, during which Jones joked about Ratliff’s relatively meager deal.
Under the terms of his current contract, Ratliff, now 30, would become an unrestricted free agent following the 2012 season.
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