Ravens To Let FS Ed Reed Test Free Agency Next Year?

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If negotiations with QB Joe Flacco work out, the Ravens front office will still have that nice little bargaining tool, the franchise tag, to use on another player and since newly signed running back Ray Rice won’t need it either, the next logical person could be future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed. But don’t count on Reed getting tagged either, says Mortensen. “Don’t forget the Ravens once let Ray Lewis test the market with his last contract and their philosophy is, ‘Ray, we’ll prove to you we love you more with our offer. If you want to go out and compare the offers to others,’” Mortensen said. “I think they’ll do the same thing with Ed Reed.” The Ravens reportedly presented a contract extension to Reed two days before 2011 season-opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which the 33-year-old veteran turned down. As such, Reed will have to play out the final year of his contract in 2012, where he’ll reportedly earn $7.2 million. The Ravens will offer him another deal at season’s end, according to Mort, and if the All-Pro wants to find out if he can get a better offer elsewhere, the Ravens won’t try to stop him.

Source: BaltimoreRavens.com