OWINGS MILLS — Baltimore Ravens star free safety Ed Reed acknowledged that he’ll begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list, and predicted he’ll probably remain there when the regular season launches.
Under that scenario, Reed would miss at least the first six games of the season while he recovers from major hip surgery.
"I’m going to be on the PUP list for a minute, and I’m not letting them take me off like they did last time without telling me," Reed said during a radio interview with 105.7 The Fan. "I’m just rehabbing. It’s a slow process. I’m going to get out there when I feel good. I can’t give you a date. I don’t know."
When asked if he thought he would remain on the PUP list to begin the season, Reed replied: "Of course, definitely. It’s going to be challenging opening up with the schedule we have whether I’m there or not. It’s leaning that way more than anything. Hopefully, we can weather the storm. We have great players around us to get through those games and be able to make a run."
Reed recently said that he was 35 percent recovered from his offseason procedure, which was performed in Colorado.
The former NFL Defensive Player of the Year said that he doesn’t feel much better than that at this point.
"Not really, it’s not too much higher than that," Reed said. "My workout hasn’t changed too much. I have been doing a little more things as far as agility stuff. Nothing strenuous. I still have some soreness and a little pain. It’s going to take time.
"I had to reconstruct my whole hip. It’s not something where I can say, ‘I’m going to be back.’ I’m not coming back until I’m well and ready. I don’t care what anybody says. I know I can play football. I’m going to take my time with this and be sure."
Reed has previously said he wants his contract addressed, but is aware that the Ravens are unlikely to do something for him at this time.
Reed hasn’t committed to playing beyond this season and has three years left on a six-year, $40 million deal that included $15 million in guaranteed money with remaining base salaries of $6 million this year, $6.5 million in 2011 and $7.2 million in 2012.
"I did an interview and we talked about contract stuff and people misconstrued it," Reed said. "There’s always issues with contracts and stuff like that. I talked to the Ravens last year about my contract. It’s nothing they haven’t heard before."
Reed made an unspecified reference to dealing with the Ravens about ‘organizational stuff’ ove the past few weeks.
"It was like when Steve McNair was in Tennessee when they didn’t want him around," Reed said. "That’s what I felt in the last two weeks. It makes you think."
Reed quickly emphasized that he wasn’t saying the Ravens aren’t allowing him to rehab at their training complex.
"Oh, no, not at all," he said. "It’s not a problem with me rehabbing.. It’s nothing major to blow out of proportion. It’s small stuff. When you deal with little things, wow, it makes you think about your situation and life in general.
"Hopefully, when I do talk to the Ravens, I’ll let them know there are some things that I need. I haven’t had my normal offseason routine. It’s going to be challenging. There will be some business things that we need to attend to."
Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital.
