Ed Reed will play next year

[arnie_uk]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1359214279' post='1331151']

I don't think it will take that much to sign Reed. They say the cap will increase in '14 by a good amount. If that's so, you give him a modest pay this year with a higher pay the years after. There's no reason we can't keep Ellerbe, Reed & Flacco. We might even be able to squeeze McKinnie in there. I think Birk's done. I am sure Williams is. You can restructure Boldin and possibly Suggs & Leach.

Who leads the secondary without Reed? Pollard? Webb? They can. They have leadership. But then I wonder why Pollard looks better here than with the Texans. I think Reed has a lot to do with it.

I honestly think we will retain Reed. I see a similar deal like what 52 got.
[/quote]i think your being naive if you think reed is going to take a reasonable deal unless no one offers him anything on then market

[JO_75]

What's the Franchise Tag Numbers for a Safety? I would like to be able to re-sign Joe to allow us to put the Tag on Reed but that's just wishful thinking.

[GrimCoconut]

[quote name='arnie_uk' timestamp='1359217419' post='1331193']
i think your being naive if you think reed is going to take a reasonable deal unless no one offers him anything on then market
[/quote]
I don't think Reed will just take a friendly deal. I think he will be allowed to test the market with the knowledge that he should return to the Ravens. You know, like Mathis (Eagles) & Lewis (Ravens) did before. I think he ultimately returns to the Ravens. I don't think he gets the market he hoped he would get. You have a lot of excellent safeties in free agency this year, a lot of them are on the rise whereas Reed is on the decline. At least he's on the decline physically. Mentally he's still sharp.

I've heard of a lot of potential destinations for Reed. Dallas (NO cap space; owe a considerable amount), Colts (very possible; good relationship with Pagano and he needs a safety), New Orleans (again, no cap space; they owe a lot), Miami (possible, but they have other needs as well), New England (I doubt it; McCourty is playing at a high level at FS and Chung is a free agent. Reed isn't a strong safety. I see no place for him there despite BB's love affair). It's possible he could go to a Houston, Miami, Indy. I would say Indy is his best possibility, but they also need OLBs for the 3-4 as well as other needs. Indy needs an entire OL (basically), a running back (with a nice free agent market for them & average draft class), CB (could take Cary Williams) & WR (Greg Jennings?).

I just don't think anyone's going to overpay for a clearly aging, less physical Ed Reed than year's past whose playmaking ability has declined due to his physical decline. I agree with you regarding Reed's physical decline; it's evident. He doesn't have the speed he used to have to make up for his gambles. When he plays his zone, he is excellent. With a very good free agency for safeties & a lot of safeties in the draft, I don't think he gets the deal he wants.

[wayne]

Ed is smart, he will swallow is pride and not expect to break the bank. Without Ed though, I just don't see who would take over the leadership roll on the back in.

[arnie_uk]

[quote name='wayne' timestamp='1359221581' post='1331253']
Ed is smart, he will swallow is pride and not expect to break the bank. Without Ed though, I just don't see who would take over the leadership roll on the back in.
[/quote]we have nobody to really take over the coverage duties on the back end. No doubt pollard cold be a vocal leader and lead example, but he's obviously not the mind that ed reed is. If we lose him he needs to be replaced by a vet like Kenny Philips who should be affordable, maybe Quinn from Houston, or via a draft pick, vaccaro or Elam.

We def can't go in expecting Thompson to take over.

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='arnie_uk' timestamp='1359221823' post='1331255']
we have nobody to really take over the coverage duties on the back end. No doubt pollard cold be a vocal leader and lead example, but he's obviously not the mind that ed reed is. If we lose him he needs to be replaced by a vet like Kenny Philips who should be affordable, maybe Quinn from Houston, or via a draft pick, vaccaro or Elam.

[b]We def can't go in expecting Thompson to take over.[/b]
[/quote]

Why not? Some veteran competition would probably needed but I don't think the organization would have drafted him in the 4th if they didn't like his potential to eventually become a starter.

[arnie_uk]

Considering he didnt even have a sniff at a backup spot this year and people like James I was in front of him on the pecking order he clearly wasn't doing something right

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='arnie_uk' timestamp='1359226526' post='1331310']
Considering he didnt even have a sniff at a backup spot this year and people like James I was in front of him on the pecking order he clearly wasn't doing something right
[/quote]

Well, Ihedigbo has significantly more experience than Thompson and even going back to his time with the Jets, he was frequently used as a blitzer. Still, Thompson was active for 7 of a possible 8 games before he was put on IR so he had to have been doing [i]something[/i] right.

[fistfullwales]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/2222/ed-reed

Just saw this on Rotoworld...for those unable to accept (I don't like to either) Reed is not what he once was - not even close.

[arnie_uk]

Brilliant article on ed by kvv

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2012/story/_/id/8892504/super-bowl-xlvii-ed-reed-hiding-plain-sight

[Hjulmann]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1359050954' post='1329099']
I think he's returning to Baltimore.
[/quote]
Crossing my fingers

[PoeGirlFL]

Just saw an article saying he could definitely be playing for the Patriots next season, I guess we'll see. One team at a time, only one MAJOR game left!