The Baltimore Ravens have a rich history of Hall of Fame players. Since their inception in 1996, they have had three players who spent the majority of their careers in Baltimore, inducted into Canton. Those names include Ray Lewis, Jonathan Ogden, and Ed Reed. The trio captured countless All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, cementing themselves as perhaps the best player at each of their positions.
The Ravens also have plenty of Hall of Fame-caliber talent on their current roster. One of those is quarterback Lamar Jackson. At just 28 years old, he has already put together a Hall of Fame resume that is headlined by two MVP awards. He is already one of the best players of his generation, and people are starting to take notice.
NFL Daily constructed a list of the top 25 players of the last 25 years, and the list included three Ravens. Those were Lewis, Reed, and Jackson. All are deserving of being up there, but one ranking may have shocked some. Jackson sits at number 21, a fine spot for a superstar quarterback seven years into his career. The real surprise is where Lewis and Reed sit. Both are considered top 10 on the list, but Reed outplaces Lewis, as Reed comes in at seven and Lewis eight.
Does Ed Reed have a better Ravens career than Ray Lewis since 2000?
For starters, this is not a crazy idea. Reed was a game-changer at safety with his intelligence and ball-hawking skills. However, Lewis is the face of the franchise. He was the leader of Baltimore’s defenses for 17 years and controlled the game every time he took the field.
Even a decade since his retirement, Lewis is one of the first players to come to mind when fans think of the Baltimore Ravens, and his jersey is still one of the most popular at M&T Bank Stadium.
Lewis has also received more accolades than Reed. While the ranking discounts four years of his career, Lewis still made the first-team All-Pro team six times and nine Pro Bowls. The most notable honor, though, is his two Defensive Player of the Year awards. However, Reed is not far behind.
The 2002 first-round pick had five first-team All-Pro nods, nine Pro Bowls, and one Defensive Player of the Year honor. He changed the way passing offenses approached Baltimore’s defense, and was in the head of every quarterback in the league when they dropped back to pass. Even the best player on NFL Daily's list, Tom Brady, had struggles against Reed, getting picked off twice in their seven matchups.
While it is a close race, taking Reed over Lewis will raise some eyebrows. It is a conversation worth having, though. Regardless, these two players are two of the best defenders of all time, and it further proves Baltimore’s dominance over the years.