Ravens tiptoe around Ed Reed

An awkward dance continues between the Ravens and safety Ed Reed.

Reed didn’t show up for a mandatory minicamp, skipping all three days.  The team doesn’t know why he wasn’t there.

As of Wednesday night, coach John Harbaugh hadn’t even spoken to the perennial Pro Bowler.

“No, I haven’t,” Harbaugh said, via the Carroll County Times.  ”Not to make too much out of it, I have tremendous respect for Ed.  I’ve used the word admiration.  I’m not worried about Ed being ready.  I said a couple of weeks ago that I know is going to be working hard and getting himself ready for the season.”

It’s almost as if the Ravens believe that, when it’s time to play, Reed will show up and play — but that if they say or do something to upset him, maybe he won’t.

Reed, who briefly mused about retirement several weeks ago, likely realizes that his value to the team has increased given the injury to linebacker Terrell Suggs, putting Reed in line for a new deal that provides more security beyond his current contract, which pays out $7.2 million in 2012.  And he also likely wanted the Ravens to figure that out on their own, without him having to take a stand.

Now that he has, the question is whether the Ravens will conclude that they need to find a way to give Reed, a 10-year veteran, a new deal that reflects his enhanced value to the franchise, especially with Suggs’ suddenly sounding less optimistic about his timetable for a return.

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(profootballtalk.com)