Ed Reed Will Play For The Ravens, Unlikely To Get A New Contract

Ravens safety Ed Reed had hip surgery in April that's expected to delay the start to his season. The Ravens options are to either carry him on the 53-man roster at the start of the season or start him off on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list which would cause him to be inactive the first six weeks of the season.

As of now, Reed says he's "leaning" toward the PUP list, according to the Baltimore Sun.

“It's going to be challenging opening up with the schedule we have whether I'm there or not,” Reed said on 105.7 The Fan on Tuesday. “If that’s the case, which I’m leaning toward that way more than anything, hopefully we can weather the storm. We have great players around us to get through those games and be able to make a run.”

This isn't exactly new news. At the end of June, Reed admitted that the hip injury would possibly keep him from starting the season on the active roster.

Reed also acknowledged that this isn't your run of the mill hip injury.

“Honestly, I shouldn't even be playing this year,” Reed said.

This makes recent reports of him seeking a contract extension even more perplexing.

Ed Reed was reportedly contemplating retirement following the 2009 season because of a hip injury. While surgery may force him to miss the start of the season, he will be play for the Ravens in 2010.

He also hinted publicly that he was looking for a new contract. That seems unlikely.

NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi updated the situation on Thursday, telling "NFL Total Access" that Reed isn’t getting a new contract, and would have to pay back the Ravens a portion of his $5.2 million signing bonus if he decides to retire not due to injury.

Reed said he told the Ravens he’ll be playing this season, and it sounds as though he’ll be doing so under his current deal.

This doesn't make sense on a number of a levels. First, Reed has three years remaining on his current deal so there's no motivation to give him a new deal. Second, he'll be coming off of hip surgery and his future is certainly not guaranteed. Third, he's going to miss a portion of this season with the injury so I wonder if he wants to take that into account when looking for a new deal.

For more on the Ravens, check out Baltimore Beatdown.

The last time we heard from Ed Reed, he said he was committed to playing football in 2010 after contemplating retirement following the end of the 2009 season.

While he still wants to play, Reed acknowledged on Sirius Mad Dog Radio Friday (via Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun) that he may not be ready for the start of the season.

"I want to be ready for the first game but I don’t know how soon that would happen, how soon I would be back."

He said he had reconstructive hip surgery, which is about a 4-6 month recovery period.

"They took about 6-7 inches from my IT band, replaced my labrum that I tore."

He had the surgery following the draft so in four months, the best case scenario, he'd be ready to go by the start of the season. Any setbacks, though, could delay that.

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown.

Following the conclusion of the 2009 season, Ravens S Ed Reed admitted he was pondering retirement.

"I've been thinking about it," he said. "It kind of hit me on the sideline. It hit me now because I don't know how much I'm going to be able to have going forward. It'll be a long offseason just thinking about. It hurts just thinking about it."

At the time (January 18th), he said the odds of him playing in 2010 were 50/50. Well, his friend and financial advisor, Brad Davis, tells Jason La Canfora of NFL Network, he'll be playing in 2010.

"Ed is as committed to football as I have ever seen," Davis said. "Come September, if everything continues to go well with his health, Ed will be on the field."

Reed tells Davis that he feels like he's 25 again.

The Ravens defense can't fall too far with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, no matter how many years they've been playing now.

Catch up on all things Ravens at Baltimore Beatdown.

If Ravens coach John Harbaugh is to be believed, All-Pro safety Ed Reed will return to the field in 2010.

“I believe Reed will play next year,” Harbaugh said during the team’s season-ending press conference in Owings Mills, Md., according to WNST.

Reed considered retirement following the Ravens loss to the Colts in the Divisional Round of the AFC playoffs.

“I’ve been thinking about it,” Reed after the Ravens loss to the Colts. “It kind of hit me on the sideline. It hit me now because I don’t know how much I’m going to be able to have going forward. It’ll be a long offseason just thinking about. It hurts just thinking about it.”

Losing Reed would be a huge blow to the Ravens vaunted defense. The star safety has returned seven interceptions for touchdowns and is the only player in NFL history to score off an interception, a recovered fumble, a blocked punt and a punt return.

Reed missed four games this season because of a strained groin and played last year despite a nerve impingement in his neck. He labeled his percentage on returning as “50-50” after the Ravens’ season-ending 20-3 loss to the Colts.

Despite Ed Reed telling reporters that he was contemplating retirement following the Ravens’ loss to the Colts, Baltimore’s All-Pro safety is expected to play next season, according to the National Football Post.

The National Football Post elaborates:

It would take a major setback with his nerve impingement in his neck and ligament tears in his hip and groin for Reed to stop playing football.

This is certainly excellent news for Baltimore, given that Reed is still capable of being a game-changing presence in the secondary when healthy, as evidenced by his interceptions against the Colts in the playoffs (one of which he fumbled, and the other taken back by penalty).