The FA Pursuit and Signing of S Ed Reed
 

Glover Quin has agreed to the Lions' offer. 5-year deal.

Time to target the need at safety... and it won't be Dashon Goldson since he just signed a 5-yr deal with the Bucs ($22M guaranteee? say what?).

Ed Reed anyone? Would make Andre happy at least, right?

Ed Reed will be in town tomorrow.

Yep, and Woodson is with the Niners, though the Texans are talking to his agent too. Seems Reed and Woodson end up with these two teams shortly, just not sure which one goes where.

By all means lets not tie-up too much scratch in Reed or Woodson, these guys are just too old for that and I hope Texans' fans are well beyond the stage of needing to be impressed by an over-the-hill player just because he's a future Hall-of-Famer who was great at one time.

Reed had 4 INT last season, which is equal to the total number of INT's that Quin has had in his career. Reed would be a play maker on a defense that is looking to add play makers.

Also I would think the Texans will draft a Safety early and allow the young man to develop behind Reed.

The key is to not sign Reed to anything longer than two years... that would create a dead money issue. Talking about a 1- or 2-year deal would not scare me.

...plus, you are furthering the gutting of the Super Bowl champs' defense, especially up the middle, and bringing in a team leader everyone on the defense will look up to, someone to mentor whatever young defensive backs are drafted next month.

Just have to hope Reed remains healthy, at least for 2013.

I'm OK with Reed or Woodson if like Keith says we don't tie-up cap money for more than 2 years. Re a safety early, lets get another one in the 4th (or later)
round like we did with Quin, maybe the 3rd round but no higher. Top 2 needs on this team clearly are at WR and at OT. IMO positions like safety & ILB can come in mid or late rounds of the Draft if we don't get help there in FA.

I worry that Reed's shoulders are spaghetti and he is lasting this long on guts and guile.

Nice ride for Reed.

http://twitpic.com/cbbjxa

Ed Reed instead of GQ? Yep, I'll take that. :)

Would really be a coup if he signs for less than what GQ was asking for.... Reports I'm hearing is that the situation is looking good....

GQ was solid but had some "oops" moments..... Reed is a playmaker extraordinaire but he has his moments, too, just like any DB.... But, as mentioned, you gotta worry if he can make it through a full season.... IIRC, he missed some time last year..

Maybe just for this year, but over the longer-term I definitely would want the 27-year-old Quin over the 35-year-old Reed. And as much as I like Antonio Smith and as valuable as I know he is to our defense, I just wonder if the Texans shouldn't have bit the bullet and paid market value for Quin and 26-year-old Barwin and released Smith for the cap-space ? Smith's got a couple years left, while Quin & Barwin are just now entering their prime years in their NFL careers. This offseason is worse than last years for the Texans.

The chron.com and all the major outlets are reporting that Ed Reed has left Houston without a deal.

Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) tweeted:
Source says Texans were closer to $5 million per year with Ed Reed, not $6 million to $7 million avg. he's looking for. Talks to continue.

Welcome Ed Reed
 

Don't know if its been posted anywhere.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/ar...exans/13145485

Ed Reed leaves the Ravens for the Texans

Posted by GB Bongiovanni | 4 comments


The hits just keep coming for the Baltimore Ravens as another key player is departing, but this time he’s headed to Houston Texans.

After losing safety Glover Quin the Texans were in desperate need to find a suitable replacement. Not a bad choice, signing the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year and the NFL leader in interceptions in the last three years, Ed Reed.

According to IBNSportsWrap, the deal will become official tonight. Reed left conversations stating “They were amazing.” per ProFootballTalk.com

Pin ItSource: US Presswire

Odds were Reed was going to sign with the 49ers, Texans, or Patriots after he signed the same agent that represented Jim Harbaugh. Reports continued he may sign with the New England Patriots after he stated on NFLAM that New England would have won two more Super Bowls with him on the roster.

For the first time in their history, the Baltimore Ravens will be without Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

Reed expected to remain a Raven. he told the NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal a week ago. ” I couldn’t see me anywhere else right now. If it happens, I’m a football player. I can adapt to any situation.”

Ed Reed was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 24th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft and has played his entire professional career for the Ravens.

Looks like somebody jumped the gun on the Reed signing or maybe the Texans are demanding he pass a physical first (I certainly would).

Am I the only that thinks the Ed Reed seduction is a waste of time? IMO he is to old to expensive and i would have rather keep Quin. I think they need to read the writing on the wall and go look at Huff for less money.

Nope, I'm right there with ya. While he would be a welcome addition, too much focus seems to be on him, and him alone.

Both sides need to $hit or get off the pot.

If we get him it is definitely not a waste of time. If we don't get him it's a waste of time. That's the nature of FA.

I'm starting to think Reed is just using us to get a better deal from the Ravens. And I'm okay with that since I think he will cost more and give less than the Texans need.

Reportedly......we offered a 3 yr deal, but the numbers were not to his liking.....
http://touch.baltimoresun.com/#story...reed-20130318/

"Any team that's fortunate enough to get him is getting a Hall of Fame player," Texans quarterback Matt Schaub said Monday night at the Ed Block Courage award banquet at Martin's West. "He's one of the best if not the best safety to ever play the game and still in his prime. If you can add that kind of player, the leadership, the intensity he brings to his job, he's going to make the whole team better. It's the nature of the business. We'll see what happens."
http://touch.baltimoresun.com/#story...reed-20130318/
*******************************************
Memo to Texans' Scouting staff, when Schaub eventually retires don't even think about hiring him as a personnel evaluator because he seems to get very confused when it comes to determining what stage a player is at in his career cycle.

Ed Reed was good 2-3 years ago, but he's pretty much washed up at this point (despite his INT #'s last year). I mean, when the player himself is throwing out the word "retirement" over the last the year or two, you might want to consider spending your $$ elsewhere. If they want to sign an aging vet S at some over-priced amount for 1 or 2 years, they should target Woodson over Reed. At least he seems to have a littlle bit (and I mean a little bit) left in the tank.

Actually, I'm surprised Smith and Kubiak are even considering Reed as it doesn't seem to be their modus operandi over the last few years. Perhaps Wade has a bit more influence on Smith/McNair than what we thought??

I guess you broke down a lot of Ed Reed film this year versus previous years?

Get out of hear with that washed up stuff. The guy played very good football. He was the clear leader of the super bowl winning defense and picked a pass off in the Super Bowl itself. He is probably a better tackler than ever (all his big hits added up to a 1 game suspension). He still has great ball skills. He is still extremely dangerous as a return man (on INTs or the occasional punt). His range is not what it used to be (meaning he does not play the entire field in an umbrella anymore), but he has far more range today than any safety the Texans put on the field last year. At this point in his career there is still not a better safety when it comes to playing facing the ball. He cannot turn and cover in the slot like Quinn, but he is probably superior in every other way.

And I'm sure you have too... You've analyzed every game Reed has played over the last few years rather than picking out a great play here and there. As for his "hits", he was suspended for head-to-head contact (Steelers game being the final straw). Not sure how that equates to him still having great tackling skills and Ronnie Lott tenacity. :rolleyes: Regardless, you have your opinion and I have mine. To me, this is shades of Barkley/Rockets and Stabler/Oilers and nowhere close to a Drexler/Rockets situation. Shoot, while we're at it, maybe we should look at signing Randy Moss, Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson too. They probably still have more talent and skill than anything the Texans have at WR #2/3/4 (excluding the injured Posey) and at least they'd come cheap - unlike Reed.

EDIT: And just to clarify, no, I'm not serious about Moss, TO or CJ.

I just wonder about that because Wade seemed to be a big Barwin supporter and yet the Texans let him walk for chump-change rather than matching the Eagles deal ?
But some players just seem to be ageless, like Tony Gonzalez who's got several years on Reed but just reupped again with the Falcons. However I don't necessarily think Reed falls into that category because I keep thinking of that deep route that Jacoby when still with us beat Reed like a drum back in 2011 ?

I don't have a problem with Reed if he comes at a reasonable price (which he won't). However, it makes no sense to me -considering where this team is, what they've done and how they've operated over the last few years- if they sign him at Ed Reed, HOF-type money. People can say Reed is still great all they want, but IMO, it makes no sense whatsoever to let guys like Quinn or Barwin, or any of the young guys YOU'VE been drafting and grooming, walk for equal-to or less-than money you're about to throw at a guy who's been considering retirement for the last 2 years. I get letting Mario walk at that astronomical price tag, but Quinn and Barwin didn't break the bank when you look at their overall deals. Again, JMHO (barrett).

Last year, I kept reading how messed up Reed's shoulder was and how much it hurt now to lay a lick on someone. Props for his courage to still stick his nose into the pile but a backline tackler with a bad shoulder is not a good thing. His body is telling him he's done but his will and his pride haven't quite received the message. I'd rather not be paying $6-7 mil for him to get the message. No doubt he's a great player and a likely Hall-of-Famer but I don't believe we'd get our money's worth unless the Texans desperately need somebody on defense who can shame them into a whole 'nother level of toughness. And maybe the Texans need that.

From that article nunusguy references above...

That's from a Ravens beat writer and quite possibly from an internal Ravens source with the team who Reed's had a HOF career with. And even though the Ravens are in a "tight salary-cap situation" as it applies to Reed, they're in the market for Dumerville.

http://touch.baltimoresun.com/#secti.../?related=true

And are considering Huff.

http://touch.baltimoresun.com/#secti.../?related=true

Sounds like the right thing to do to me.

It's really not all that clear to me that the Ravens, much less any team other than the Texans, are seriously bidding for Ed Reed's services. Makes me wonder if the Texans' "low-ball" offer is really that low. Reed needs to sign the best offer on the table, and I am sure it is Houston's.

So Reed is holding the Texans hostage at this point. I'd give him an ultimatum to sign by tonight or it's time to move on. And I am one who actually thinks signing him, at least for 2013, would be a good move. A leader on the defense (something arguably lacking when DeMeco left), Reed has recent Super Bowl experience and the instant respect of his peers. Not that Cushing or Watt (or JJo) don't already earn respect from others, but Reed could walk onto the field and be the defensive team captain.

A 1-yr or 2-yr deal (but only with an out-clause in YR2) would be fine, IMO. I've always been a huge Reed fan and definitely think he can provide some of that missing leadership. I just don't want the Texans to overpay and/or give him a contract that keeps us in cap purgatory. If you're going to let young homegrown players walk, at least let there be a future cap benefit from it.

Agree with this. One of Rick Smith's savviest moves as a GM was making a run at Nnamdi but then cutting his losses and going after Joseph when he couldn't get a deal done with Nnamdi in reasonably short order. Needs to go back to that playbook.

From the chronic on Reed:

"The Texans have made an offer that, according to two people familiar with the negotiations, is closer to $4 million a year than $5 million. Reed has been hoping to get a multiyear contract that averages $6 million to $7 million."

http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans...ose-on-a-deal/

A 3-yr $12 million contract will not put the Texans cap into a death spiral, especially if Reed is at least playing through 2014.

This deal keeps sounding better all the time. Rick Smith is getting better at his job. Now if he can just remember who to listen to and who to ignore of his college scouts...

Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) tweeted:
Future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed has agreed to terms with the Texans, ending his Ravens career.

No terms yet, other than its a 2 year deal.

Updated:
Aaron Wilson (@RavensInsider) tweeted:
Hearing Ed Reed got as much as $7 million total guaranteed on his two-year deal, per a league source.

$7MM guaranteed isn't too bad. Hope he can stay healthy and give us 80-90% of the HOF Reed.

Ok, sounds like a good deal for ed and for Texans.

85% of HOF Reed plus his attitude and leadership will be a huge win.

I cannot wait to see how the team plays the draft, especially the first couple of picks. They could do anything - DL, DE, ILB, OLB, WR, OL. They could even go TE. I would be surprised to shocked to see them draft a QB, RB, CB or S early.

Mod note... split this from the general FA thread since Ed Reed discussion was dominating.

Congrats to Rick Smith and the Texans for waiting this one out, assuming it is official tomorrow. Such a pleasant change from the first decade or so of front office management from this franchise.

Well, there hasn't been a whole lot else to talk about..... :rolleyes:

I am happy we got him, despite his age. As chuck stated, I'd take an 85% Ed Reed for 2 years over Quin for 2 years, and hope we hit on his eventual replacement in this years draft.

I will be even happier if the initial numbers hold up, and his guarrantee is "only" around $7MMish. I've seen later reports of 3 years max of $16MM, but that could be agent fluff to help close/save face. We shall see today I would imagine.