Ed Reed now says he will play

Ravens safety Ed Reed is backpedalling once again, saying he now plans on playing in 2012 and beyond.

Reed created a stir Thursday when he told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he was "not 100 percent committed right now to playing this year." He has since changed his stance.

"It's not about retirement, it's about my focus in the offseason, health, family and football," Reed said in a statement given to the Carroll County (Md.) Times. "This is the time of year where players think through things. My goal is to play football in the years to come."

In his interview on SiriusXM, Reed indicated that he was in "deep thought" about whether he would attend the team's mandatory minicamp in June. He said there are "other things" taking place in his life that are making him think differently.

Reed talked at length about his relationship with general manager Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens, mentioning a lack of support and “mental” issues that they were going through. He is also entering the final year of his contract.

“It has nothing to do with negotiating and all that, man,” Reed told SiriusXM. “It’s deeper than negotiating, man.”

Hensley's slant: No one reads quarterbacks better than Reed, but he might be the hardest player to read in the game right now. I'm done guessing what Reed is trying to communicate. It's like you need an interpreter to get the real meaning of his quotes. As I wrote Thursday, I won't believe he is going to retire until he actually walks away from the game.


(espn.com)