Jan 12, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Detailed view of a Baltimore Ravens helmet on the bench against the Denver Broncos during the AFC divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

With the #32 and final pick in the 1st round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the defending Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens have selected Matt Elam out of Florida.

They lost Ed Reed to the Houston Texans and Matt Elam was a guy they were interested in drafting if he was available, so in a way it works out. A hard hitting defender, has the potential to play like Ed Reed (not saying he will be Ed Reed, just throwing that out there). Has speed and awareness he needs to be a play maker for this defense, possibly a future captain of this defense as time goes on. Great pick up by the Baltimore Ravens as the 1st round comes to a close.

2nd round begins tomorrow, starting off with the Jacksonville Jaguars if they do if fact decide to keep the #33 pick.

Oct 13, 2012; Shreveport, LA, USA; Louisiana Tech Bulldogs wide receiver Quinton Patton (4) catches a touchdown over Texas A

26. Green Bay Packers – Quinton Patton, WR, LA Tech – The Packers are pretty stacked at Wide receiver with Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb.  But with Aaron Rodgers’ huge contract they decide to add a true outside receiver.  Carrying LA Tech to a 9-3 season and putting up major numbers against the newest SEC powerhouse, Texas A&M; Patton has the potential to be one of the most underrated WRs in the draft. 

27. Houston Texans – DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson – The perfect fit for Houston at this point.  In college Hopkins orginally was Clemson’s #2.  When he got his opportunity with Watkins’ suspension, he proved that he could step it up and be the #1 threat.  This is the type of youngster the Texans should put next to Johnson to give this offense a much needed boost.

28. Denver Broncos – Kawann Short, DT, Purdue – Broncos build depth on their defensive line by taking Purdue’s Kawann Short.  In college Kawann was a team captain at Purdue and started for them since his freshman year, he’s shown great versatility in taking on different roles on the Boilermaker’s interior defensive line.  This makes for a great defensive player for a team who has the need like Denver to invest in for the long term.

29. New England Patriots – Terrence Williams, WR, Baylor – A great and very underrated WR in the draft this year, Williams proved to be productive even after Nick Florence came in to replace Griffin earning first team all american honors and leading the nation in receiving yards.  Also a great kick returner, Williams helps the Pats in multiple ways and impacts New England immediately.

30. Atlanta Falcons – Datone Jones, DE, UCLA - The Falcons take a defensive lineman with great potential to learn the pro game and eventually become a star with guidance from free agent signee Osi Umenyiora.  Datone has had his bumps in the road with injury but posted a spectacular senior season at UCLA making 19 TFLs and 6.5 sacks.  If you add his prototypical NFL size and versatility, he proves to be a very high ceiling project who has the chance to start and make an impact his rookie year in Atlanta.

31. San Francisco 49ers – Eric Reid, FS, LSU - The 49ers get their guy to replace Dashon Goldson in this super stout safety class.  Eric Reid is a former all-SEC free safety who since his freshmen year was a great contributor to the Bayou Bengals’ defense.  A player like this is the perfect guy for a coach like Harbaugh to take in and mold into a great pro.  Eric Reid goes from being a playmaker on one of the best college defenses to one on one of the best pro defenses.

32. Baltimore Ravens – Matt Elam, S, Florida – The Ravens are looking to replace either Lewis or Reed here and have a way better value at the safety position.  Matt Elam was a playmaker in the Gator defensive backfield making 76 tackles (11 TFLs), 1 forced fumble and 4 interceptions.  He is definitely a potential franchise defensive player who can help Baltimore renew their intimidation factor on defense and fill in for Ed Reed in the defensive backfield right away.

Oct 16, 2011; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain (55) reacts during the game against the Cleveland Browns at the O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Browns 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

I had the Baltimore Ravens as the #2 team of who I thought Rolando McClain could end up with after he was waived by the Oakland Raiders last week.

Before McClain can sign his name on a Baltimore Ravens contract on Friday, he must first pass his physical and is set to meet with General Manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbough. This is an excellent decision made by General Manager Ozzie Newsome as they look to keep their hopes of repeating as Super Bowl Champions this coming season. The deal is to be said to be a 1 year contract worth around $700,000 as reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.Com.

Rolando will have some big shoes to fill with the position he plays, having to come in and fill in the spot in which Ray Lewis played for the last 17 years. As long as their new additions to the team remain healthy, I think the Baltimore Ravens could make a strong push to becoming the top team in the AFC and possibly the league. I noted the additions of the team in previous articles about the Ravens, adding players such as Marcus Spears, Chris Canty, Elvis Dumervil and Michael Huff as Dannell Ellerbe, Paul Kruger and Reed found other homes across the AFC.

A young linebacker who has the chance to step up and show the Baltimore Ravens this season, that he can be the replacement for Ray Lewis that they are looking for. If all goes well and McClain can produce well, he could get signed to a long term contract next off season. I believe this defense will look as if they won’t miss a beat, although they are missing a few players who helped them reach their 2nd Super Bowl championship. This is another move that I am excited about seeing how it plays out. Once again, awesome decision by the front office of the Baltimore Ravens, I am one fan of this league who is excited to see how well this defense is going to do this upcoming season.

Now it will be interesting to see what they decide to do with their picks for the draft, which is in a couple weeks.

LB Rolando McClain officially has reached agreement with Ravens. Still needs to travel to Baltimore to undergo physical.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 10, 2013

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Huff met with the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers in this free agent period as well, and the Ravens have officially announced the signing of Huff today. The 30-year-old is a solid addition for the Ravens, who are looking to replace the consistency Ed Reed brought to the free safety position for a very long time.

While Huff definitely isn’t the household name that Ed Reed was, he is a very good safety in his own right and a solid pick-up for the Ravens overall. The Texas product will get a three-year deal from the Ravens, and they were able to sign him over several other teams (like the Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams) that were interested in Huff’s services.

He is a great addition for a Ravens team that sorely needed a safety after losing Reed to the Houston Texans, and Huff had a good career with the Raiders. A versatile defensive back, Huff even played at cornerback last season for the Raiders due to injuries, and he held his own in coverage at a position that wasn’t ideal for him. At safety, Huff should continue to be one of the better players in the league at the position, and it’s tough not to like this deal for the Ravens. There were no better alternatives, and Huff is a very good safety in his own right.

An important item to note is that Ozzie Newsome has always been a fan of Michael Huff, and this dates back to when Huff was coming into the draft in the mid-2000s out of Texas. Ravens fans are certainly thrilled to hear that the team has signed to star AFC West defensive players in Elvis Dumervil and Huff this week.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Anyway, it is especially interesting to hear new Houston Texans safety and future Hall of Famer Ed Reed talk about the business side of the game. Below is what he said to 105.7 The Fan CBS Baltimore.

“I didn’t expect this. Did I want it? No, I didn’t want it. But do I understand it? Yes I understand it. My heart really felt that we had an opportunity to do some special things because we had a core of people. I honestly didn’t know the true nitty-gritty of the business side of it. I didn’t know all the possibilities that would happen and transpired the last few weeks or so. I didn’t know all that would happen the way it did. That put things in perspective as well to let you know the team is kind of going in a different direction. Not rebuilding but in a sense rebuilding, to make different moves and it just wasn’t economically the best situation for me.”

Reed always maintained that he wanted to stay with the Baltimore Ravens and stay with the team for his career. There would have been something special in that- in the same way that Ray Lewis spent his entire career in Baltimore. But unfortunately, it was not to be. We can blame Joe Flacco for striving as hard as possible to become the highest-paid QB in the game, and we can blame the Ravens for allowing him to reach that. But is it right to blame the team or Flacco? Or is it just how the business goes?

It’s interesting to hear a veteran of the stature of Reed, especially keeping in mind how intelligent he is and how much of a leader he is. To hear Reed talk about how he didn’t know about the “true nitty-gritty of the business side” until now is a bit alarming, because this is a guy who seemingly understood that part of the game better than anyone. After all, Reed did represent himself as an agent up until hiring an agent this offseason. It’s telling, though, that he chose to hire an agent this offseason.

Pouring over that quote is a little bit sad, because I’m one of those fans who loves seeing a player stick with a team for his entire career. Ed Reed obviously wanted to do that, but it was not to be thanks to the business side of things. Hopefully, players like Tom Brady and Eli Manning can stay with their respective franchises for the entirety of their careers.

Ed Reed understood the business side of the game, but he didn’t understand the extent of how tough the NFL can be until he had to leave the Ravens this offseason.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis (52) celebrates with free safety Ed Reed (20) after the San Francisco 49ers failed to convert on fourth down in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

We are a week into free agency and to be honest it kind of feels like it’s been at least a few weeks. Now we all know that the Philadelphia Eagles aren’t the only team losing key players from their roster, the Baltimore Ravens have lost a couple players including the now retired Ray Lewis.

A man who was not only a captain, but like a general and main support for a team and a face for a franchise. It is obvious that when you hear the team name Baltimore Ravens, you think of Ray Lewis and the glorious entrance he created to pump up not only himself, but everybody who was a part of the Baltimore Ravens family/team.

There were other anchors by Ray’s side as time went by, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed, both helped keep things together as their careers went on. Especially last season after they thought they lost Lewis for the year, but we all know how this played out.

Ed Reed, one of the greatest safeties to ever play the game, may be another anchor on the move. Now only time will tell what his decision will be, return home and retire a Raven like his fellow brother in uniform did, or try to help another team reach the mountain top.

1. Baltimore Ravens - Although teams have shown interest in Ed Reed, I firmly believe that he will be back in a Baltimore Ravens uniform and emerge from that pre-game smoke as players are introduced before the coin toss. I think it would be another blow to the team if they let a player like Reed go, a man who has done so much for this team and a key piece of that defense that will look totally different now that Ray Lewis has decided to hang up his cleats and join ESPN as an analyst. Baltimore loves Reed and Reed loves Baltimore.

2. Houston Texans - One of the teams who has shown some strong interest in Ed Reed could be a possible destination if they can sell him on why he should leave the Baltimore Ravens. This team could still build on defense and add more help for Danieal Manning and since Quintin Demps is a free agent, Reed would be a huge sign and replacement if they are looking to move forward without Demps as they did with Glover Quin (who signed with Detroit). They run the same 3-4 defensive scheme so not much adjustments would have to be made if Ed Reed does in fact sign his name on a Houston Texans contract.

3. Washington Redskins - While the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers bulk up their rosters in hopes of another repeat playoff season and maybe more, the Washington Redskins boost their chances by stealing Ed Reed from the Ravens. They released their captain and veteran corner-back DeAngelo Hall due to salary cap related issues, a fan and team favorite who put up great numbers during his time with the organization. They have some good talent when it comes to defensive backs and could use Reed to fill in and mentor those young men now that DeAngelo Hall is also looking for a new home. A great coach like Mike Shanahan and a roster full of young men who are determined to get back to work and win, could definitely use a productive safety like Ed Reed and compete with not only the division but against the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.

4. Arizona Cardinals - They lost Adrian Wilson to the New England Patriots so why not take a shot at Ed Reed? They also released free safety Kerry Rhodes so they would be crazy not to contact Ed Reed’s agent and push an offer through. Not a Super Bowl ready team, they are in rebuild mode and could give Reed a decent amount of money to help them rebuild and mold young talent for as long as he is there. A possible move but unlikely, this is just a team that needs help, but we have seen some crazier things happen, so don’t count the Arizona Cardinals out of the Ed Reed hunt. If they actually have him on their radar.

5. Green Bay Packers - They released Charles Woodson so why not replace a future Hall of Fame Safety, with another future Hall of Fame Safety? The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions are only getting better, as they added to both sides of the ball and look to make a run for the NFC North division crown while the Green Bay Packers are still looking for those pieces to get them back to Super Bowl form. Again, young talent and some have tasted Super Bowl glory, but they have went down hill since then and would like to get back on top and stay there with a balanced team. Ed Reed could be what they need to help motivate this defense to stay and play strong and possibly bring that Lombardi Trophy back to Lambeau Field where fans and members of the organization feel it’s where it belongs.

March 14, 2013; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker talks to the media during a press conference held at the teams training facility. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Once again the NFL proves to be king of all things, now including the off season. “Free Agency,” as the NFL’s version of the Hot Stove is simply known, has become a mesmerizing frenzy. A bridge between the Super Bowl and the draft that keeps us afloat as we breathlessly count down the days until the 2013 NFL season starts.

Such is life for the NFL fan and/or junkie. Be it a diehard of just one team or the casual observers following Free Agency updates league wide. Wes Welker’s Rocky Mountain high-tailing from New England’s (alleged) low-ball offer played out with the same odd intensity as the naming of a new Pope that same day. Blue and red smoke would signal Welker returning to play Brady’s Blanky with the Pats, but blue and orange smoke meant he’d leave Tommy for Satan Manning…

And then finally, poof! Welker signed with Denver, and voila - behind door #2 the Patriots pulled out the 4-years-younger (but technically no longer a “poor-man’s Wes Welker”) Danny Amendola, for similar money they were/weren’t willing to pay Welker.

Before that, New League Year’s Day started with a bang as the 49ers picked up WR Anquan Boldin off of Craigslist from the Ravens (while $100 million dollar man and Only Raven Left Joe Flacco was slummin’ it at the Aberdeen McDonald’s) and the Seahawks traded their first-round pick to Minnesota for Percy Harvin. Soon after, the Dolphins, Chiefs and other teams were also making moves.

Within 24 hours of the start of Free Agency, we (they) were declaring Big Winners. Denver is going borderline Dream Team on us, not only adding Welker but also some protection for Peyton (key interior lineman from the rival Chargers Louis Vasquez), former Eagle Dream Teamer CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, plus Jags DT Terrance Knighton. Miami’s haul was highlighted by guaranteeing former Steeler WR Mike Wallace $30 million dollars and flat-out stealing LB Dannell Ellerbe away from Baltimore like Mayflower trucks in the middle of the night.

Rashard Mendenhall (once rumored to Denver) gave into the inevitable and followed the long line of Pittsburgh players and coaches who make a beeline to the Arizona desert, high-fiving his former Steelers teammate CB William Gay who was leaving the Cardinals to return to Pittsburgh. In Arizona, Mendenhall will run behind a line worse than the Steelers alongside a quarterback committee of Drew Stanton, John Skelton and Who Knows Who Else at Somepoint. At least he’ll get to team up with playmaker Josh Cribbs (free agent signed from Cleveland).

As for Cleveland, new GM Michael Lombardi is building a nasty defense for coordinator Ray Horton to direct under new head coach Rob Chudzinski. Ravens LB Paul Kruger was the big catch but they also added DT Desmond “Mugshot” Bryant from Oakland and Cardinals LB Quintin Groves.

Moves came fast and furious as the Bills cut QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Steelers cut James Harrison. Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez said he was coming back, the Bears grabbed Giants TE Martellus Bennett, and the Rams picked up TE Jared Cook on the side of the incestuous Jeff Fisher highway between Tennessee and St. Louis. Nnamdi Asomugha was cut by Philly. Adrian Peterson got punched in the stomach. Ray Lewis joined ESPN.

Heads were spinning. But there was an excitement to the week, the type of thing other pro leagues couldn’t buy even if they could afford to. Luckily for the NFL, Free Agency just happens to be tailor-made for the Twitter era. All of us can follow Adam Schefter, Jay Glazer, Chris Mortenson, Jason LaConfora, Albert Breer, Jeff Darlington, and a few local beat writers and bloggers from our favorite teams and get all the breaking news instantly.

The Titans landed the top interior offensive lineman, Andy Levitre from the Bills. Safety Dashon Goldson left San Fran for Tampa. The Jets exhumed David Garrard, and the Ravens whacked Bernard Pollard like Pollard has done to so many defenseless players on the field.

At one point I think the Tight Ends traded Jared Cook to the Wide Receivers with the WR’s sending Anquan Boldin to the TE’s in return. It was all very confusing.

Speaking of confusion, the Jaguars cut WR Laurent Robinson (a free agent bust from a year ago), but since he “passed his physical,” he’ll get no injury settlement despite the fact that he suffered FOUR concussions while working in Jacksonville (which in turn played a huge role in him being declared a bust and, hence, fired). But the league says it cares about player safety. It’s crazy.

Speaking of crazy, half the fans in Baltimore were ready to jump in the Harbor while the other half tried to talk them down with the “Trust In Ozzie” mantra. In Kansas City, the Chiefs kept WR Dwayne Bowe and added WR Donnie Avery, completed their trade for QB Alex Smith and bolstered that defense when Andy Reid started pulling big-name DB’s like Dunta Robinson and Sean Smith out of his mustache like it was a clown car. Reggie Bush went to Detroit. The Seahawks landed coveted DE Cliff Avril, and the Jets and Bucs tried to play a game of Pope Smoke about a possible trade for Darrelle Revis. The Texans picked up linty-bearded Ed Reed in a private jet and Steven Jackson spurned the Packers to join the Falcons. Shit was happening!

Meanwhile, the usual busy beavers and big spenders in Free Agency, the Spring Champs from most of the first decade of this century, the Redskins were curiously (and wisely) quiet at the opening bell. In typical Washington fashion, they were fighting two wars: the new momentum of the campaign and latest lawsuit to change the offensive Redskins nickname and the league-imposed salary cap penalties that forced them to restructure some guys, let DeAngelo Hall and Lorenzo Alexander walk, and prevented them from spending on marquee free agents. It was like finally taking away drunk Dan Snyder’s car keys or hiding JaMarcus Russell’s pizza menus.

But as baseball’s spring training got under way and the NBA was fast breaking toward the playoffs on the back of a crazy Miami Heat winning streak, it was NFL Free Agency that was stirring the pot on the hottest stove. We couldn’t look away. NFL Media Insiders barely slept. Players tweeted “wheels up” from airplanes as we wondered if they’d end up signing to play in the hash-tagged city. We got reports quoting people “close to Tom Brady” about Brady’s mood following Welker’s defection to the Elway Empire in Denver. I think we even got reports about the moods of those people close to Tom Brady.

And that was just the first week of Free Agency. More dominoes will fall. (I mean plenty more player movement, that’s not another JaMarcus Russell pizza joke.) Things are just heating up. So before you start punching the Broncos and Seahawks tickets for next year’s Super Bowl, just remember that the Spring Champs rarely take home the real hardware the following February. Besides, we still don’t even know where Tim Tebow will end up playing.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis (52) celebrates with inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (59) after winning Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Thus far in free agency, the Baltimore Ravens and their fans have witnessed several substantial losses to their team in general, with defense in particularly weak shape, at least to the general observer’s eye. As it stands, the Ravens have lost their leading sack specialist from last season in OLB Paul Kruger, to a division rival no less, in the Cleveland Browns, as well as another key LB in Dannell Ellerbe who took his respective talents to South Beach (Miami). In addition, the Baltimore Ravens have traded WR Anquan Boldin to John Harbaugh’s younger brother and the San Francisco 49ers –ironic, isn’t it?– for a 6th round pick. And today they’ve just released starting safety Bernard Pollard, where they’re set to be a lot of change in that secondary pending on what happens with future HOF Safety Ed Reed. However, their biggest loss by far this off-season has been losing LB Ray Lewis to retirement, the face for the Raven’s franchise for nearly 2 decades.

So…they’re in panic mode, yes?

If you ask that to a Ravens fan, they’ll probably stuff a hot pit beef sandwich down your throat and tell you to pipe down.

First off, I’d like to say I highly admire their fan base, as they’re certainly one of the most loyal bunch of fans I’ve ever hung around with. And, their franchise is one that deserves the utmost respect, as Ozzie Newsome now owns a pair of Super Bowl rings to go with his Lombardi Trophies. They have already locked up their QB in Joe Flacco, signing him to a 6-year deal worth a whopping total of $120.6 mil, $52 mil of which is guaranteed. This was a deal I initially and heavily, criticized seeing how he’s earning more total money than QB Drew Brees, who safe to say is still a superior QB. But, to the Ravens at least, stats don’t matter, as they’ve been in the playoffs for all 5 years of Joe Flacco’s career as their starting QB. And now, they’re Super Bowl champions under the leadership of Joe Flacco, with plenty of contributions coming from their defense of coarse.

Speaking of which, they signed former Giants DL Chris Canty to a 3 year deal yesterday, and despite the heavy loses suffered to their starting line-up, that unit still has plenty of talent to win games with. I speak of coarse about LB/DE Terrell Suggs, who definitely seems like he’s not going anywhere this off-season. Also, there is Haloti Ngata, an elite DL in his own right. While discussing their front 7, one must include the exciting prospect in Courtney Upshaw, he’s a player who can line up virtually anywhere on the DL or their LB corps. In addition, CB Corey Graham has turned into a smart signing by the Ravens’ management, being able to cover some of the better receivers the league has to offer. And, there is the prospect of Ed Reed returning to finish his career where it started. Plus, this is no longer a team that solely depends on defense to win games. The first move I mentioned, is one that signifies what could very well be the transition from Defense first, to Offense first.

This offense the Baltimore Ravens have built, mostly from their own drafts, is full of young and talented players at all phases. Ray Rice is one of the best RBs in the NFL, where his versatility is unmatched. Having someone that can take the load in the running game, then to see the same player convert on 4th and long with a short RB screen, is something to truly marvel.

Then, there is WR Torrey Smith, who is swiftly developing into a dynamic deep threat much in the way Mike Wallace developed for the Pittsburgh Steelers. By the way, Ravens fans won’t have to worry about Mike Wallace anymore, as he too took his talents to South Beach. Back on topic, there is a player I really like watching in TE Dennis Pitta, who the Ravens were wise to slap a 2nd round tender on before the beginning of the new league year. Dennis Pitta, is just a flat out football player. He blocks, he runs, he catches, and he scores TDs. He is just an all-round weapon that is set to develop into a serious threat in the NFL. Their OL has some promise, too, as OT Michael Oher isn’t the absolutely dominant force most fans have expected him to be, but he is an OL that deserves plenty of respect. Oh, let’s not forget about their best OL in Marshal Yanda, who happens to be one of the best linemen in the game. Now, this along with their LB corps is an area that needs serious attention, but then again this OL performed lights out in the playoffs, so only time will tell as to what happens in pass protection.

Of course, this is by far not a perfect team, and as just mentioned they have needs like all the other 31 teams have to attend to.

A general rule of the NFL these days, is you win through the draft, not free agency. While free agency provides to teams opportunities to supplement their rosters and solve critical problems with proven veterans, a long-term dependence on signing free agents from other teams will only result in bad cap management, and over-inflated salaries. You win long term by drafting and coaching your own players.

That, for the most part, is exactly what the Baltimore Ravens have done.

They have on occasion added players through free agent signings or trades, but for the most part, their roster is “home grown” in a sense. John Harbaugh is one of the best coaches in the NFL for a reason, he does his job, coach and develop players. His entire staff in general has done a good job in turning rookies into starters.

As of right now, the Ravens don’t have a lot of cap space to bring in free agents, so a strong draft is a must come this April. And if Ozzie Newsome should ever make a claim for being the best at what he does, then he would simply point to the players he has selected through the draft.

Overall, he has done a sensational job throughout his career of evaluating talent, and bringing that talent to his coaching staff for development. If you ask me, LB is their top need for this next draft, and there is expected to be plenty of talented LBs available in this next draft. In addition, they could also look to bolster their OL with one of their earlier picks, or perhaps add another speedy weapon for Joe Flacco to launch a bomb to. Despite the circumstances, the Ravens have options, and Ozzie Newsome has a plan. All I as well as any fan should do, is sit back, and watch what happens. After all, they are the defending Super Bowl champs.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (20) against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens might have decided they want to keep Ed Reed after all. There were rumors that the New England Patriots were interested in him, and their Super Bowl opponent the San Francisco 49ers.

But than the Ravens made an interesting move by releasing Bernard Pollard to free up cap space, and maybe use those resources to bring Reed back. They definitely would like to keep his veteran leadership around after Ray Lewis retired, otherwise that responsibility might wind up with… Terrell Suggs! Gasp!

I always thought Terrell Suggs was more Bart Scott than Ray Lewis.

Some say though that the 49ers interest in Reed was a “smokescreen.” I don’t know who that would benefit, the 49ers or Reed. Maybe the 49ers used it as leverage to keep Dashon Goldson around, who reportedly is in Tampa Bay right now. Or if it was a ploy by Reed and his camp to bring the Ravens to the negotiating table.

Earlier this month Ed Reed said he hadn’t heard from the Ravens.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone. Hopefully that call comes soon,” Reed said on NFL Network’s NFL AM earlier this month.

“I’m a Raven. I plan on being a Raven. I couldn’t see me anywhere else right now,” Reed said. “If it happens, I’m a football player. I can adapt to any situation.”

Ed Reed is definitely not out of the picture for the Ravens. Nothing imminent and Reed is looking around. Fluid situation

— Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) March 13, 2013

Dec 16, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison (92) during the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Within just a few short hours, the Baltimore Ravens have lost 2 key defensive players in Paul Kruger who signed with the Cleveland Browns and Dannelle Ellerbe who signed with the Miami Dolphins.  On top of this, they lost Ray Lewis.

They threw all this money at Joe Flacco, making him the highest paid quarterback in National Football League history as we all know, so everything should be alright, right? No.

Now what happens if they lose Ed Reed to another team? What would this team do? They definitely couldn’t be seen as a team who could defend their title and repeat as Champions in this league. Not the way things are looking, unless they have something hidden up their sleeve and throw us all a knuckle ball.

What move could that be? Signing James Harrison? Yes, that James Harrison. He would be perfect to come into this organization, after the talent this team has lost and pick up where they left off. It would be a long shot but it would be a lot better than relying on an inexperienced player, so why not make this move and allow him to guide the talent behind him.

Baltimore needs to be in full blown panic mode right now, sound the alarms, and  figure out a game plan! If I am a Baltimore Ravens fan, I am very very worried about what is going to happen later on in the season, as defending champions, when teams are running and throwing all over this team and wiping the stadium with them.

Baltimore Ravens, you need to make a move and bring in James Harrison before he commits to another team.