ITEM: Reed skips Ravens mandatory minicamp
Baltimore Ravens All-Pro safety Ed Reed has spent some of this offseason mulling his future and sending hints that he would like to renegotiate his contract, and those issues came to a head when he did not show up for the team's mandatory three-day minicamp.
Reed has not been present for any of the Ravens' voluntary sessions either. Because he has a contract, Reed was required to attend minicamp, and there are provisions within the CBA that would allow for the team to fine him in the neighborhood of $60,000. Reed's situation is different from the one involving Ray Rice, who was not permitted to attend offseason workouts because he hadn't signed his franchise tender.
"Not to make too much of it, (but) I have tremendous respect for Ed," said Coach John Harbaugh. "I've used the word admiration. I'm not worried about Ed being ready. I said a couple weeks ago, I know Ed's going to be working hard and getting himself ready for the season. Any comment beyond that really has no value. But I value our friendship, I value our relationship, I value him as a player. And I'm going to plan as if he's going to be here and be ready to go. Whatever's going on, Ed knows how to deal with it."
Last month, Reed said he was still unsure about whether he was going to play this season, but then some days later he was quoted as saying he still wanted to play for years.
"I've talked to him," Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis told the Baltimore Sun. "I talk to him all the time. I don't expect nothing different. Ed is Ed and when July 25th comes up, Ed will be here and we'll be getting ready to roll. … People across the world never worry about minicamps or whatever. Whatever him and coach talked about, they talked about. I don't think it's an issue at all. Ed has other things going, a baby boy, and he's really trying to focus on things like that. Sometimes, life calls you away from the game. These three days won't take away from what Ed Reed's focus is, and that is to come back and help our defense be the best defense there is in football. I don't think it's an issue at all, not for us."
Also, Kelechi Osemele, the team's second-round draft pick who is in the mix for a starting spot along the offensive line at guard, will be out until training camp with a thigh injury.
While the injury isn't believed to be a big deal, missing any practice time can have a negative impact on a rookie's ability to crack the starting lineup. Osemele had been in a competition with veterans Bobbie Williams and Jah Reid for the starting job at left guard.
According to the Carroll County Times, Williams ran with the first team during the first minicamp practice following Osemele's injury.
ITEM: Weeden on contract: I'll get it done
Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden has reiterated that he will sign his rookie contract before training camp starts in late July.
Weeden, the 22nd overall pick, and running back Trent Richardson, the third overall pick, are the only members of the Browns' 2012 draft class who have yet to sign.
"I'm ready to sign it," Weeden told the Beacon Journal. "I'm not gonna miss any time. I'm gonna sign before training camp. It's just nitpick stuff, but we'll get it done. I'll get it done."
Weeden has made it clear on several occasions that he will not be a camp holdout.
"I'd have signed two weeks ago if I could have," Weeden said on May 22. "I'm not going to hold out. We just want what's fair for me. My agent's doing that. I haven't even talked to the Browns about it. Whenever the day comes, I'll sign the paper and go on about it."
