By: Stephen Patterson
According to the Baltimore Sun, Ravens Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed will probably miss the first six weeks of the season due to offseason surgery. Reed recently stated he is only about 35% healed from his offseason hip surgery, and is unlikely to be completely healed before the start of the season. If that is the case, there is a good chance Baltimore will place him on the PUP (physically unable to perform list) to start the season, meaning he would be required to sit out the first six games of the year.
Reed has been one of the most entertaining defensive players in the league over the past decade. He is one of the most complete, all-around players in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball. He is able to read opposing QBs and pick off passes with ease, and he doesn't have any problem putting a player on the sideline with a bone-jarring hit either. With his ability to cover seemingly infinite ground almost instantly, Reed is able to sneak into the path of nearly any pass attempt. During his career, Reed has picked off 46 passes and took six of them back to the endzone for touchdowns during the regular season.
Reed had reconstructive hip surgery sometime after the 2010 NFL Draft. He missed four games in December because of the injury before returning for the regular season finale and both of Baltimore's playoff games. There was talk after the season ended about Reed possibly retiring, including when he himself hinted at the notion after the Ravens were eliminated from the postseason.
