Baltimore Ravens: Why Ed Reed Is a Distraction the Team Can’t Ignore

June 16, 2012   ·   Shawn Brubaker   ·   Jump to comments

Ed Reed is a popular guy in the Ravens' locker room, so his absence at mandatory minicamps this week was extremely noticeable.
Unfortunately, that absence wasn't surprising, considering Reed's erratic behavior recently. With the Ravens' top defensive player sidelined, Reed is still managing to grab most of the headlines with his comments and absence from OTAs.
To be clear, Reed has earned himself a slightly longer leash than the average player. Even though he did not attend mandatory minicamps, the Ravens are still confident that Reed is working hard and will be in shape for the season.
Reed's performance itself isn't the issue here, though. The issue is the effect that Reed's behavior will have on a young locker room that looks up to him.
Jamison Hensley of ESPN wrote an excellent piece about how Reed's behavior challenges John Harbaugh's authority as head coach, and he couldn't be more accurate. Hensley writes that Harbaugh will need to discipline Reed in some way...

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