Ed Reed signed with the Texans to ‘win a championship’

Just over six weeks after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, former Baltimore Ravens and future Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed said he's joining the Houston Texans to help the franchise deliver a championship to the city of Houston.

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“I know already what they want to do and that’s win a championship. I came here to do that,” Reed said at his introductory press conference on Friday. “Houston already has the attributes. I pray and hope I am the attribute needed to take us to the next level.

"My path has been directed here for a reason and I will truly embrace it," said Reed. "I came here to win a championship and help guys with whatever it may be, on and off the field."

According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Reed signed a three-year contract that is worth $15 million total and includes $5 million in guaranteed money. Reed earned $7.2 million in his 11th and final season with the Ravens and was believed to be looking for similar money in what has been a largely depressed free agent marketplace.

“From the first day of free agency, [general manager] Rick [Smith] called me and I think we both knew. It was just a matter of time for getting it done,” Reed said. "We knew it was going to end up like this, and it was a matter of just getting it (contract) done. When I came here (for visit last week), I was so impressed. It was awesome. I knew we were going to get something done, that it was just a matter of time."

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Reed initially left town without a deal, but said that he had to take his son to his nephew's birthday. Reed also said that he was happy to get an opportunity to continue his career close to his native Louisiana, which will allow his parents and family to drive to his games.

Reed, who turns 35 in September, has 61 interceptions in his illustrious career and is looking to cause more trouble for opposing offenses by patrolling the back-end of the Texans' secondary.

The Texans have used interchangeable safeties under Wade Phillips, but the veteran coordinator will play Reed exclusively at free safety to take advantage of Reed's instincts and ability to anticipate where the quarterback is going with the ball.

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“He can do it either way,” Phillips said (via the Texans' official website). “I just think he’s better as a free safety all the time. He’s so good that it’s just hard for people to throw it over the middle, throw seam routes, throw post routes, anything in the middle. He’s going to get it, and they know it, so they don’t throw it, or he gets ‘em. That adds a great dimension to your defense when you have a guy back there like that."

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