A lot of Baltimore fans criticized the Ravens' front office for allowing Ed Reed to walk off into free agency…
But consider these recent developments:
The Houston Texans are just a couple of months into their association with Ed Reed, and they’re already not quite sure what is up with the Ravens’ former safety.
Everything was great when they signed him to a three-year, $15 million deal during free agency, but then earlier this month it was revealed Reed has undergone surgery to repair a hip labrum and will sit out all Organized Team Activities and minicamps. Reed was rehabbing in Denver when the Texans opened OTAs Monday.
Hs absence is causing consternation in Houston, as you might expect, but Reed didn’t exactly win the offseason perfect attendance award in Baltimore, either. He usually came to the Ravens’ lone mandatory minicamp each year, and actually didn’t even make that one in 2012. The Ravens didn’t seem to care much. Reed kept himself in terrific shape and was always ready when the season opened. Honestly, what was he going to get out of a minicamp that he didn’t already know?
Of course, the Texans aren’t really concerned about him missing OTAs; they just want him to be ready when the season begins. Their head coach, Gary Kubiak, told reporters Monday, at the start of OTAs, that Reed was doing “great.”
Reed’s surprising surgery has spawned a predictable round of online hyperventilating about whether the Texans knew he was injured, whether the Ravens knew he was injured, and whether Reed was honest about it during free agency. It’s conspiracy theory heaven and I’m not about to get into it.
What I do know is this is precisely why the Ravens were skeptical enough about bringing him back to let him leave when the Texans made him a nice offer.
Reed turns 35 in September. He is one of the greatest safeties ever, a future Hall of Famer, and still brings plenty to the table on the field, but he is dealing with myriad injuries and his best football is behind him. It would have been terrific to see him end his career where it should, in Baltimore, and I thought he would after the Ravens won the Super Bowl, but I can’t blame the Ravens for electing to go younger and healthier on the back end of their defense.
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