Convert David Reed to Safety?

**CharmCityCrab** · 03-01-2013, 11:15 PM

David Reed can't hold on to the football, but he made some great plays as a special teams gunner last year. Has speed and can make tackles. So, we know he's not a kick returner based on 2011 (We'd be crazy to stick back out there in that role), and I don't feel comfortable with him as a WR- Why not use what we've learned about his solid tackling on special teams and give him a try at safety?

I am not saying make him a starting safety, of course, I am just saying if we put him on the roster for special teams, it makes more sense to me for him to be the 4th or 5th safety than the 4th or 5th WR, especially considering that we may lose Ed Reed (i.e. Take him from where we have depth to where we may need depth). Maybe we'll even be pleasantly surprised and find out he's a good enough safety to get some real playing time at the position. Worth experimenting in mini-camps and training camp and seeing what he's got. It could be a path for him to continue his NFL career.

Think there's any chance the Ravens might try it?

**JCroUSAF** · 03-01-2013, 11:22 PM

No.

**CodyPKA** · 03-01-2013, 11:28 PM

What the hell did I just read?

**ursula** · 03-01-2013, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by CodyPKA

What the hell did I just read?

Possibly someone dropped a whole lot of acid in the water supply cause I'm experiencing the same hallucinations.

**Jayc00** · 03-01-2013, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by CodyPKA

What the hell did I just read?

Lol...better yet, what the hell is this? My tracking cookies should have nothing like this!

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**JAB1985** · 03-01-2013, 11:51 PM

Originally Posted by CharmCityCrab

David Reed can't hold on to the football, but he made some great plays as a special teams gunner last year. Has speed and can make tackles. So, we know he's not a kick returner based on 2011 (We'd be crazy to stick back out there in that role), and I don't feel comfortable with him as a WR- Why not use what we've learned about his solid tackling on special teams and give him a try at safety?

I am not saying make him a starting safety, of course, I am just saying if we put him on the roster for special teams, it makes more sense to me for him to be the 4th or 5th safety than the 4th or 5th WR, especially considering that we may lose Ed Reed (i.e. Take him from where we have depth to where we may need depth). Maybe we'll even be pleasantly surprised and find out he's a good enough safety to get some real playing time at the position. Worth experimenting in mini-camps and training camp and seeing what he's got. It could be a path for him to continue his NFL career.

Think there's any chance the Ravens might try it?

Not often do i feel so much angst than i do from this post. David reed has a 29 ypr average and has fumbled twice in his entire career as a returner. In one game. He clearly was flustered and let the game get to him. One time. As a young player Hes completely capable of returning kicks at an all pro level. If he didnt tear his acl its plausible we never even sign jacoby as ST was his main contributions. Thats the first part that im angered at.

The second is converting a somewhat diminuitive wr, 6' 180 lbs, to the rigors of playing safety when he has no experiebce that i know of. Thats not even remotely a possibility. The guy is at worse a great ST player that will last in the league as long as his speed/health does. Coming out of the draft he was known for route running and hands. His inability to stay healthy is his biggest flaw and now hes suppose to switch to a position thats more grueling? Im sorry i just dont see the basis for this.

**CharmCityCrab** · 03-02-2013, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Not often do i feel so much angst than i do from this post. David reed has a 29 ypr average and has fumbled twice in his entire career as a returner. In one game. He clearly was flustered and let the game get to him. One time. As a young player Hes completely capable of returning kicks at an all pro level. If he didnt tear his acl its plausible we never even sign jacoby as ST was his main contributions. Thats the first part that im angered at.

I understand where you're coming from, but I don't know a single Ravens fan who wasn't ready to run him out of town after 2011. His injury may well have saved his career here. And he came back and found something he was really good at. Now, I will grant you, the guy did have a good return average, despite being fumble and mistake prone, and having the worst game I've ever seen as a KR (Remember the penalty on top of the two fumbles in the same half?), but I don't think you can trust a guy like that to return kicks- I don't think he's got the head or the hands for it in the long run, and I think we'd lose some games because of screw ups at key times (Some guys are just sort of anti-clutch). But the good news is I think he's found a strong niche as a special team gunner and has become very impressive there in a very short span of time.

The second is converting a somewhat diminuitive wr, 6' 180 lbs, to the rigors of playing safety when he has no experiebce that i know of.

I see plenty of relatively short safeties and cornerbacks. I know the ideal is that you don't want receivers to be able to reach over their heads on a jump ball from the QB, but I could see David Reed as a reserve safety who always gets in position and makes the tackle, even while not breaking up a ton of passes. Could be valuable depth.

And, yeah, a position switch is difficult. But it's not unheard of. A lot of guys are drafted and within a few years are switched to different positions. You can look great at a position in college and discover it's not your ideal position in the pros. The NFL is a different game in some respects. And I don't like what I've seen of him at WR- he's not a down field threat, he's short to be a possession guy, and the great hands we were told he had out of college are not evident. He doesn't drop as many passes as Anthony Allen, granted. ;)

**NC Raven** · 03-02-2013, 12:13 AM

ye olde....

**CharmCityCrab** · 03-02-2013, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Not often do i feel so much angst than i do from this post.

Sorry if I got you or anyone upset. Just trying to make conversation and throw some ideas around. Ultimately all the football decisions will of course be made by Ozzie and John and the great Ravens staff front office and coaching staffs, who I think we all have a great amount of confidence in, and justifiably so.

**leachisabeast** · 03-02-2013, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by JAB1985

Not often do i feel so much angst than i do from this post. David reed has a 29 ypr average and has fumbled twice in his entire career as a returner. In one game. He clearly was flustered and let the game get to him. One time. As a young player Hes completely capable of returning kicks at an all pro level. If he didnt tear his acl its plausible we never even sign jacoby as ST was his main contributions. Thats the first part that im angered at.

The second is converting a somewhat diminuitive wr, 6' 180 lbs, to the rigors of playing safety when he has no experiebce that i know of. Thats not even remotely a possibility. The guy is at worse a great ST player that will last in the league as long as his speed/health does. Coming out of the draft he was known for route running and hands. His inability to stay healthy is his biggest flaw and now hes suppose to switch to a position thats more grueling? Im sorry i just dont see the basis for this.

I never seen you mad before on here Jab lol.

I agree though, this is absolutely ridiculous.

**leachisabeast** · 03-02-2013, 07:48 AM

Since I've seen too many threads about moving players out of position to play safety, and now I've read that someone wants to move David Reed to safety, yes that's right, David Reed, I was thinking of the most logical move. Flacco can do what he did in high school and play QB and free safety for us! Flacco can QB the defense and stand back there with his 6'7 frame and see everything, hell didn't you see how fast he was keeping up with a corner back after that interception against Denver?

Now that he's getting all that money, we need to get the best out of him and take advantage of his talents. Seriously though, can you imagine a kid as tall as Joe playing safety at school?