Ed Reed Wants To Play This Year, Open To Coaching For Ravens

Ed Reed isn’t ready to give up football quite yet.

The future Hall of Fame safety remains a free agent, but he’s still preparing to suit up at some point during the 2014 season.

“I know that I can still play. It’s a matter of the right fit,” Reed said while he was in Baltimore for Lardarius Webb’s charity softball event Sunday.

“[I’m] definitely preparing to play. If I wasn’t, you would have heard something by now. The offseason is going great. I’m spending time with my family. I’m not in any rush at all.”

Reed, 35, looked to be in good shape as he moved around the softball field set up at M&T Bank Stadium, and he was also no longer sporting the grey beard and long hair that he’s had the last couple of years.

Reed spent last season with the Houston Texans and New York Jets after playing the first 11 years of his career in Baltimore.

“I learned a lot about the process last year, and know my worth,” Reed said. “I’m taking my time, getting myself all the way back to where I want to be. It will come back down to it somewhere in the season. I’ll probably wind up somewhere. Or not.”

Reed finished last season with 38 tackles and three interceptions. The Texans cut him midway through the season, and then the Jets picked him up for the final seven games.

For several years, Reed has expressed interest in coaching once his playing days are behind him, and he said Sunday he could see himself returning to the Baltimore in that role.

“I could see me working in the organization here,” Reed said. “I could see me working for Ozzie [Newsome] and those guys, and Steve [Bisciotti] because I put so much into it and I know how they work. And they taught me so much.

“I think I can help pretty much any organization if I’m a position coach, a consultant, whatever. But I still have a lot to learn, and I’m willing to learn because it’s a different craft when you’re talking about coaching.”

Reed is clearly still a fan favorite in Baltimore, as the cheers for him were louder than anybody else at Webb’s softball game. He also maintains a relationship with his old teammates, and he spent much of the afternoon talking with as many people as possible.

“Anytime you’re around him, you know it’s going to be a good time,” wide receiver Torrey Smith said. “He enjoyed himself and you know Baltimore still loves him, so it was special to see how they welcomed him.”

The next move for Reed is somewhat unclear, as he plans to take his time determining if there is a place that makes sense for him to play this year. He laughed when asked about signing by training camp this year, and responded, “I’m not going to anybody’s training camp.”

Time will tell if he’s able to find a team interested in signing him, but he also knows that he could end up riding off into the sunset.

“I’m not worried about the end. I’m not under contract. I’m not under contract, so I’m already at the finish line,” Reed said. “If not, you guys will probably never see me again. I don’t have to put in any papers. I don’t have to sign anybody’s contract. I don’t have to go to any organization. Ed Reed and Barry Sanders, they did it their way.”


(baltimoreravens.com)