Baltimore Ravens Trying To Keep Ed Reed

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.”