FOXBORO -- There were few players whose talents earned as much praise from Bill Belichick as Ed Reed did during his days with the Ravens. But on Friday, the Patriots coach threw an upcoming opponent into Reed's class: Seahawks safety Earl Thomas.
"He's more than a middle-of-the-field player," Belichick said. "This is . . . a version of Ed Reed. He makes a lot of very instinctive plays. He anticipates very well. He's got good speed, good range, good ball skills, good anticipation. He makes plays that maybe the conventional safety wouldn't make because of his anticipation, his experience."
It's hard to quantify just how much respect Belichick carries for Reed, now an assistant for the Bills, and how unusual it is for him to place Thomas on Reed's level.
Over the years, Belichick would go on and on about Reed's ability to cover ground, anticipate, and make game-changing plays when he's around the football. They had squared off many times over the course of Reed's career, yet the compliments Belichick would lob Reed's way were always similar.
"He’s the best weak safety I’ve seen since I’ve been in the National Football League in my career," Belichick said back in 2012. "He’s outstanding at pretty much everything, including blocking punts or returning punts or returning interceptions for touchdowns. The list goes on and on with him. It’s just a question of pretty much anything he’s out there for he’s good at."
Later in that season, Belichick piled on: "He probably covers more field back there as a single safety than most teams can cover with two," he explained.
In the NFL Films "A Football Life" documentary that followed Belichick and the Patriots during the 2009 season, the coach looked like a fan when he approached Reed on the Gillette Stadium turf before one meeting between their two clubs.
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"You stay out of our hair today!" Belichick told Reed, adding, "You're the best free safety that's ever played this game that I've seen. You're awesome."
Belichick may not find himself feeling quite as giddy around Thomas -- Belichick got to know Reed when both participated in the Pro Bowl on the AFC side -- but the four-time First-Team All-Pro is certainly in rarified air when it comes to the respect Belichick has for his game.