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The Buffalo Bills and former Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed have agreed to a deal where Reed will be an assistant defensive backs coach. Reed has always wanted the ability to coach after he retired from the game and now he will get his chance all with his former defensive coordinator and head coach Rex Ryan.
It's easy to envision Reed as a coach. Reed, in his playing days, wasn't the biggest guy and didn't the have blazing speed that others may have had. But what set him apart and puts him in the discussion of the greatest safeties of all time is his intelligence, not to mention his hands as he grabbed 73 interceptions in his career.
Reed studies film about as good as anyone could. Reed and Ray Lewis made the Ravens defense fearful partly because of the amount of film and feedback they gave their teammates during the week preparations to a game and on game day itself. Reed's preparation even caused future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady to put Reed on his own wristband as a reminder to keep him in his thoughts when throwing.
Some will speculate on whether or not Reed can translate his knowledge to younger players because he was so good. We'll have to see exactly how Reed fares in the upcoming season with the Buffalo Bills. Either way, you know Bills head coach Rex Ryan is certainly happy to be reunited with a former player and to possibly get a great coach too.