IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee is not concerned about Jay Ratliff's future if he is not involved with the team's present.
"If you don't want to be here and you don't want to play with this team, then move on because we have guys who are ready to play, who work extremely hard, who care about this franchise, who care about each other as teammates," Lee told KRLD-FM on Thursday, "and I'd rather go down with guys who want to be here and want to win than win with guys who don't want to be here.
"I don't know the whole situation or the details, but I think as teammates, all we care about are each other and about guys who care about winning here, so that's all we focus on and I think that's the only thing we need to focus on to help us win."
Last week, the Cowboys cut Ratliff, who played in four Pro Bowls for the team, off the physically unable to perform list because they did not think he was close to playing. At the time, Ratliff's agent, Mark Slough, said his client would play again in 2014, but on Wednesday, Ratliff was cleared to return by his doctor.
According to ESPN's Ed Werder, six teams have contacted Slough, and Ratliff could make visits next week.
Lee's comments were the most candid among Ratliff's ex-teammates. One veteran found the news confusing but most did not want to talk about the issue.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones referred to the Ratliff issue as a legal matter earlier Thursday. However, the team does not appear to have any way to recoup money it paid to Ratliff since it gave him a five-year, $40 million extension two years ago.
Coach Jason Garrett said health was among the reasons Ratliff was released and wished the former Pro Bowler well in the future.