On Ed Reed letting go of the Ravens

Ed Reed is sure acting like a guy who's hoping the Baltimore Ravens will still step up and give him the kind of deal he's looking for.

But more likely he's facing the harsh realities of an expensive, aging superstar.

ESPN.com's Ashley Fox doesn't think Reed is going to get the two-year deal with between $10 and $11 million he can have from the Houston Texans in Baltimore.

If the Ravens can move on from Ray Lewis, Anquan Boldin, Bernard Pollard, Paul Kruger and Dannell Ellerbe, they can move on from Ed Reed. Life will go on.

And really, it is time. The Ravens can cut ties with Reed, a beloved member of the franchise, and be good. They can do it with a clear conscience. They won a Super Bowl with Reed, despite all the insanity of last season, when Reed flirted with retiring or quitting or spending time with his family or whatever he was going to do.

The Ravens are loyal, but giving Ed Reed big money would be bad business.

Baltimore stood by him. It won with him. And a decade from now, when he is retired, Reed can come back with (Ray) Lewis and Boldin and Ray Rice and Joe Flacco and celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their greatest professional achievement, and there should be no bad blood. There should be cheers and roses and good feelings.

It ended the way it was supposed to, with Reed on top.

And now it should end.

I agree. It's hard to see and accept the end, I'm sure. But it's not like he doesn't have other opportunities.

If Houston -- where good friend Andre Johnson is a star receiver -- doesn't feel like a fit, it may be hard to find anything comfortable.

As Fox says, the Ravens are taking emotion out of it. As hard as it may be, Reed's got to do the same.


(espn.com)