Evan Habeeb-USA Today Sports
The Houston Texans made a splash in free agency this offseason, signing veteran safety Ed Reed. Fresh off a championship campaign with the Baltimore Ravens, Reed is without a doubt one of the NFL’s greatest at his position.
The only concern for the team was Reed’s age and health. Turning 35 soon, there are questions about how much the veteran still has in the tank.
Players are not examined when signed out of free agency to the degree that NFL teams look into the health of potential draft picks. The Texans didn’t do their due diligence when acquiring Reed and now have a big-ticket safety recovering from hip surgery.
Reed has said throughout the process that he expects to be ready in plenty of time for the season opener. This has come into question in recent weeks.
He still seems to believe that he will be ready for Week 1 but has said that he hasn’t closed the door on missing some regular-season action.
The last time Reed had surgery on his hip, he missed the first seven weeks of the 2010 season.
President Barack Obama has even weighed in on the twilight years of Reed’s career when the Ravens made their obligatory Super Bowl Championship visit to the White House:
“Reed’s sprouting some gray hairs of his own. You’re looking like an old man.”
The health of Reed will likely play a large factor in the defensive success of the Texans. He is the best ball hawk in NFL history and will certainly bring a hard-hitting intensity to the Houston secondary.
The Texans shouldn’t have any concerns with Reed’s effort or leadership, but will have to wait and see if the veteran can stay healthy enough to contribute.
Jason Weingartner is an NBA and NFL contributor for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @JaWeingartner or add him to your network on Google.
