Reed ‘Definitely Expected’ To Return
A league source and several teammates told Aaron Wilson of National Football Post that Ravens saftey Ed Reed is definitely expected to play football this year.
“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,” Wilson reported.
“So, count him in for 2010 barring an unexpected change.”
Reed himself has not confirmed whether he will play. Saturday, the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year was interviewed on SIRIUS XM’s Mad Dog Radio, and only hinted that if he is healthy, he will be back. Here is a partial transcript of his conversation with host Glenn Younes, via the Baltimore Sun.
Younes: “If you’re healthy, God willing, most likely you’ll play next year, yes or no?”
Reed: “Yeah, yeah.”
Younes: “Ok, there we go. Let me hear you say it so we can use it as a sound bite. ‘If I’m healthy I’ll play with the Ravens in 2010.’”
Reed: “I mean, for most people in the world, 50/50 is just that. If you’re able to go, you know, most people who know me, when I’ve been hurt over the years, and lately, these last two years, a lot. But if I can walk and talk, I’m out there communicating and making plays.”
Ravens to Interview Saunders, Zorn for QB Coach
Baltimore will interview Al Saunders, the Ravens’ current offensive consultant, and former Redskins head coach Jim Zorn for the quarterbacks coach position that was made vacant when Hue Jackson left to become the offensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
While being interviewed at the Senior Bowl, Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh wasn’t interested in discussing the search, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Be it Saunders, Zorn, or somebody else, the Ravens QB coach is a great gig. The person stepping in would have the splendid opportunity to work with the young, humble Joe Flacco, who simply wants to win. He has no ego, yet all the talent and tools to become great. Filling in for Jackson will not be easy, but it would be difficult to pass up the opportunity to mentor someone like Flacco.
Flacco Declined Pro Bowl Invite?
When news broke that Jaguars quarterback David Garrard would represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl since Peyton Manning will be busy preparing for the Super Bowl, my first thought was, “Garrard is a better option than Flacco?”
Garrard threw for fewer yards, had a lower completion percentage and fewer touchdowns than Flacco in 2009. Plus, Garrard and the Jaguars failed to advance to the postseason, whereas Flacco’s Ravens made it to the Divisional playoff round.
But apparently, Flacco was invited to the Pro Bowl and declined because of his hip injury, according to Aaron Wilson’s RavensInsider Twitter account. There’s still no official word from Flacco himself on the matter.
Bills’ Whitner Wants Troy Smith in Buffalo
Buffalo safety Donte Whitner posted on his Twitter account that the Bills should acquire Ravens quarterback Troy Smith. Whitner played with Smith at Ohio State.
Here is his Twitter plea:
“I think we should get Troy Smith to be our Qb, please!”
“Troy is a proven winner and leader! Joe Flacco is the franchise in B’ More its only right….I watched the guy sit behind Justin Zwick…..”
“Troy can come in and compete with the guys we have and the BEST man will win the job!”
“In the national championship vs Fla u saw his best wr go down with and injury and an overweight offensive line that had too much time off..” (sic)
“Coach [Chan] Gailey would make him so dangerous! He’s great I promise u! Something like never seen before!!!!”
If Smith were to make it into a Bills uniform, the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner would compete against Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Neither had a stellar 2009 season.
“Playing on the same teams with Troy is not the only reason why I know he could help this team,” Whitner told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I’ve watched him from afar, I’ve practiced against him in the past, and I’ve seen him fight through so much adversity. I don’t know if it will be with us, but some team will be happy with him. And with wins, comes plenty of happiness.”
Joe Makes USA Today’s All-Joe Team
For the 18th straight year, USA Today assembled an All-Joe team featuring players that are not average, but rather unheralded, unloved and sometimes underpaid. The only prerequisite for being an All-Joe is not having a Pro Bowl on one’s résumé.
And it’s our own Joe (Flacco), who leads the list at the quarterback position with a very familiar security guard, Michael Oher, leading the All-Joe tackle position.
“Who more appropriate to lead the All-Joe team than Joe Cool?” said USA Today. “The sophomore continued to blossom in the passing game while taking a greater role in leading Baltimore back to the postseason.
“All-Joe guys generally don’t translate to the silver screen, but Oher lived up to his first-round billing and storybook background, shining at both tackle positions.”
