Sports Illustrated got pretty in-depth with its 2010 NFL predictions, making educated guesses about which good teams will miss the playoffs, which coaches will get canned and which players will retire at season's end. When it comes to predicting their "player who won't be back in 2011," three of SI's eight panelists picked Ravens players.
Don Banks thinks Ed Reed will ballhawk off into the sunset at season's end: "I wish I could take the easy way out and pick Brett Favre for a second year in a row, but alas that would be weak-willed. Give me Reed because even though he'll only turn 32 next month, his body has taken more than its share of abuse and may be close to the breaking point."
Jerome Bettis says that Mason will retire after this season: "Football demands that it's No. 1 in your life. As you get older, football becomes less of a priority. I think Mason is at that stage."
Ditto for Dom Bonvissuto: "Second straight year I've picked the aging Baltimore wideout. Take it as a compliment, D-Mase. Just don't think that 36-year-old body can continue to take the weekly poundings in the AFC North."
I'm assuming this is all speculation, of course, and that none of these guys have inside information on Reed's and Mason's situations. Hey, at least it's more creative than picking Brett Favre.
