Ed Reed: The Best Ever?

SiLo · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 10419 Location: Dade County

Best ball hawking safety.
_________________

Hands of Iron · Joined: 09 Jul 2012 Posts: 53

No one is greater than Ed Reed.

In all seriousness, possibly my favorite player ever behind Barry Sanders depending on the day.

He's got the ability:

At his best, his combination of ballhawking and coverage skills, instincts, anticipation, physical agility and film study have put him up there as arguably the greatest safety of all-time. Before injuries started taking their toll, he could really crack like all hell too. Of course, he won his DPOY playing SS.

He's got the numbers:

647 TKL - 69 INT - 1703 INT Yards - 8 INT TD - 155 PDEF - 31 STF - 11 FF
* Including post-season

He's got the accolades:

* Defensive Player of the Year
* 5x All-Pro 1st Team
* 3x All-Pro 2nd Team
* 9x Pro-Bowl

He's got and has done just about everything.. 8 picks in the playoffs with one short of breaking into that three-way tie for first, 1st all-time in INT return yards, top 10 in career INTs (and it ain't luck), touchdowns in every which way imaginable (you know the records). He checks all the boxes of an individual legend and he's about to become an all-time winner in his home state.

RuskieTitan · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:06 am Post subject:

Not sure if he is the GOAT, but he's got a legitimate argument for it.
_________________

^^ryknowssd^^
Supporter of the Death Penalty in CFB
FF Hunger Games I Winner

k2g187 · Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:45 am Post subject:

Dawkins boiiii

Fullback40 · Joined: 30 Dec 2012 Posts: 311

He's the greatest safety in the NFL ever because of the way the game is played nowadays.

It's tough to imagine the splash INT plays that some of the other greats like Lott would have had in this NFL pass happy league.

Reed is so clutch and is unquestionably the greatest safety centerfielder of all time...just not as dominant in the run game as others.

Vikefan79 · Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 25111 Location: Atlanta

HokieHigh · Joined: 18 Aug 2009 Posts: 1652 Location: Blacksburg

xjayex · Joined: 22 Sep 2008 Posts: 1263

Jack Tatum was pretty good too. I don't think anyone has said anything about the assassin in this thread.

wwhickok · Joined: 27 Nov 2012 Posts: 2267 Location: Williamsport, PA

First, I wouldn't categorize Polamalu & Reed together, because they play two different positions.

Best of All Time? Idk.. honestly I think it's hard to argue either way. He is undoubtedly one of the best Free Safeties to have ever played the game.

And Troy Polamalu is undoubtedly one of the best Strong Safeties of all time.. man if only we could see them play on the SAME team.. (Steelers of course, not Ravens Wink

)

SiLo · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 10419 Location: Dade County

Polamalu might be the most overrated safety of all time.
_________________

wwhickok · Joined: 27 Nov 2012 Posts: 2267 Location: Williamsport, PA

xjayex · Joined: 22 Sep 2008 Posts: 1263

xjayex · Joined: 22 Sep 2008 Posts: 1263

SiLo · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 10419 Location: Dade County

wackywabbit · Joined: 20 Dec 2009 Posts: 3853

Reed is the best safety I've seen play. Can't really make other comparisons. Polamalu is up there with him. It seemed like they would be the Tony Gonzalezes of the position and usher in a new era of gamechangers at the position, but this next gen has yet to produce anyone with the impact they had at their peak

He also had some of his best years as a strong safety early in his career.
_________________