A lot of Baltimore fans criticized the Ravens' front office for allowing Ed Reed to walk off into free agency...

But consider these recent developments:

The Houston Texans are just a couple of months into their association with Ed Reed, and they’re already not quite sure what is up with the Ravens’ former safety.

Everything was great when they signed him to a three-year, $15 million deal during free agency, but then earlier this month it was revealed Reed has undergone surgery to repair a hip labrum and will sit out all Organized Team Activities and minicamps. Reed was rehabbing in Denver when the Texans opened OTAs Monday.

Hs absence is causing consternation in Houston, as you might expect, but Reed didn’t exactly win the offseason perfect attendance award in Baltimore, either. He usually came to the Ravens’ lone mandatory minicamp each year, and actually didn’t even make that one in 2012. The Ravens didn’t seem to care much. Reed kept himself in terrific shape and was always ready when the season opened. Honestly, what was he going to get out of a minicamp that he didn’t already know?

Of course, the Texans aren’t really concerned about him missing OTAs; they just want him to be ready when the season begins. Their head coach, Gary Kubiak, told reporters Monday, at the start of OTAs, that Reed was doing “great.”

Reed’s surprising surgery has spawned a predictable round of online hyperventilating about whether the Texans knew he was injured, whether the Ravens knew he was injured, and whether Reed was honest about it during free agency. It’s conspiracy theory heaven and I’m not about to get into it.

What I do know is this is precisely why the Ravens were skeptical enough about bringing him back to let him leave when the Texans made him a nice offer.

Reed turns 35 in September. He is one of the greatest safeties ever, a future Hall of Famer, and still brings plenty to the table on the field, but he is dealing with myriad injuries and his best football is behind him. It would have been terrific to see him end his career where it should, in Baltimore, and I thought he would after the Ravens won the Super Bowl, but I can’t blame the Ravens for electing to go younger and healthier on the back end of their defense.

Ryan Mink of Ravens.com summed it up as well as anybody could right now---

This is Joe Flacco's Baltimore Ravens...

Organized Team Activities (OTAs) start Tuesday for the Ravens, the next step in preparation for the 2013 season.

Thus far, the players have participated in very limited “football school” sessions. Now OTAs will turn things up a notch.

While OTAs are still voluntary, they often draw more veteran players.

They are still not full padded practices, but players do wear helmets. Contact is allowed, but not full tackling. Players still cannot compete against each other in 1-on-1 battles, such as a cornerback versus a wide receiver. Practices can run for two hours.

Here are five storylines to watch during OTAs:

Joe Flacco's time

The Ravens’ franchise quarterback was at the Under Armour Performance Center last week and said in April that he plans to be on hand for offseason workouts. He came to OTAs last year.

It would be his first time with his teammates without the Ravens’ old guard, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, on the roster. So it’s Flacco’s first real chance to take a tight grip on this team. Knowing Flacco, not much will change in his demeanor. But it will be interesting to see how other players act around the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

It’s also a key time for Flacco to gel with some of his young receivers (Tandon Doss, LaQuan Williams, David Reed, Deonte Thompson, Aaron Mellette, Tommy Streeter) in the hopes of finding someone to step up in place of departed Anquan Boldin.

Rookies practice with vets

The rookies already got a taste of what practicing with the veterans is like last week during football school. But those practices aren’t quite as intense as OTAs, and don’t often include as many veterans. One of the intriguing pairings will be rookie fullback Kyle Juszczyk and veteran Vonta Leach, who could be battling for the same position.

Which wide receiver emerges?

All of the competitors in the wide receiver competition should be present considering they were on hand for voluntary football school. Doss, Williams, Reed, Thompson, Mellette, and Streeter are looking to show something and start to pull away for the third receiver spot behind Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones. Every practice will be important for them to make an impression, especially while they’re all healthy and able.

Center battles takes center stage

One of the more interesting battles this offseason will be the one for starting center. Second-year player Gino Gradkowski was written in earlier this season, but the trade for A.Q. Shipley adds competition. Shipley said coaches will give him a chance to earn the starting gig. Both players are gritty, hard workers who will put it all on the line.

Back to work, shaking off any hangover

The storyline for every Super Bowl winner is whether they will have a hangover into next season. Ravens players have consistently said they don’t expect that with this team under workmanlike Head Coach John Harbaugh. Reporters will get a look at this team’s demeanor.

I like the challenge and the tension in this year's Ravens camp. It's fun to observe the pressure on winning teams. I don't know why---  but I appreciate the angst about the absolute improbability of repeating as league champions. It makes for dramatic entertainment value... and it affects every single player on the roster.

I'm starting to think that Osemele is more valuable to the Ravens' overall offensive line picture than Michael Oher...

Yes I know, that's sacriligeous talk to a lot of you... but look at the reality...

Head Coach John Harbaugh and Run Game Coordinator Juan Castillo approached second-year lineman Kelechi Osemele this past week at OTA's...

“They told me personally that my goal this season should be Pro Bowl or bust,” Osemele said. “It’s the expectation that they have for me.”

The Ravens had a Pro Bowl left guard in Ben Grubbs, but he departed via free agency to New Orleans before last season. Now Osemele has a chance to be the long-term solution.

Osemele started every game during his rookie year. He spent the entire regular season at tackle, and moved to left guard for the playoffs.

That’s when he found his niche.

A couple weeks after the Super Bowl, Osemele got a call from Castillo, who was marveling at the playoffs tape he was reviewing. Osemele dominated.

“It came to me quite easily,” Osemele said. “I’ll only get better from here, so I really feel good about this being a breakout year.”

Last year’s second-round pick played left tackle throughout college at Iowa State. He moved to right tackle in the NFL, which worked well considering his sheer power.

But Osemele was happiest when Bryant McKinnie was inserted at left tackle, bumping Michael Oher to right tackle and moving him inside. Osemele is glad McKinnie was re-signed.

Playing guard gives Osemele an advantage because of his combination of explosiveness, strength and long arms. He generally can get his hands on opponents faster than a usual guard.

“It’s a natural fit for me,” Osemele said.

“From an experience standpoint, I definitely think I can take my game to another level. As I get more games, I’ll just continue to get better.”

Osemele has been a constant presence at the Under Armour Performance Center. He was one of the first players back in the building, running and lifting. He said Strength & Conditioning Coach Bob Rogucki has followed him around the weight room.

The 6-foot-5, 333-pounder said he feels a lot stronger, faster, quicker, more flexible and durable already this offseason. He’s come a long way from a year ago when he was a rookie trying to adjust to the NFL.

“The coaches have been on my [butt],” Osemele said with a laugh. “They just expect a lot from me and they’re not going to accept anything but my best. They’re definitely pushing me, which is what I like.”

Of the four new UDFA rookies just signed by the Ravens, I like Gary Walker's chances the best--- he's the safety from Idaho.

That's Gary Walker (6-0, 200) at Idaho stretching to break up a deep pass. Word on the street is Walker "plays like a Raven"...and he could surprise as added depth at safety and special teams.

Baltimore signed wide receiver Rashaad Carter (Tusculum), cornerback Mo Lee (Utah), outside linebacker Meshak Williams (Kansas State) and safety Gary Walker (Idaho).

The Ravens had open roster spots after they cut four rookie free agents and a first-year player last week following rookie minicamp.

Carter, Tusculum’s all-time leader in receiving yards, led the Pioneers with 1,056 receiving yards in his senior year in 2011. The Division II prospect hauled in 70 passes and averaged 96 receiving yards per game. He finished with 2,928 career receiving yards. Carter was out of football last year.

Lee is a big-bodied cornerback (6-foot-1, 191 pounds) who made 35 tackles, one interception, deflected seven passes and returned a fumble 47 yards for a touchdown during his senior year. He was originally recruited as a wide receiver.

Williams showed big-time production at Kansas State, and will now join teammate and second-round pick Arthur Brown in the Ravens’ front seven. Williams was second in the Big 12 with 8 ½ sacks and forced three fumbles last year. The 6-foot-2, 247 pounder played defensive end in college, so he will make somewhat of a position change.

Walker is a 6-foot, 200-pound safety from Idaho who finished with 295 career tackles. He led the Vandals in tackles last year (99) and had six pass breakups and one interception, which he returned 94 yards against LSU.

The Ravens also released undrafted rookie wide receiver Tori Gurley (South Carolina).

I see a little bit of Ed Reed and a lot of Bernard Pollard in this guy Gary Walker. I like the way he attacks the ball and handles his coverages. You can tell just by watching Idaho tape that he is a smart guy and takes pride in his film study.

We'll see if any of that observation of his play at Idaho translates to what the Ravens are looking for at safety. He'll be battling Omar Brown for that backup safety spot on the roster.

The Ravens just acquired a journeyman center, A.Q. Shipley, from the Indianapolis Colts for a 4th-round conditional pick in the 2014 draft.

That's a pretty expensive price for a guy who's spent the first 4 years of his NFL career bouncing around practice squads for the Steelers, the Eagles and the Colts--- but Shipley did have a very nice 5-game stint for the Colts last season as a starter.

In fact, a lot of Colts fans are upset about losing Shipley. They thought maybe they had their next "Jeff Saturday" finally in place.

Shipley (#62), 6-1, 309, age 26, Penn State, drafted in 2009 in the 7th round by the Steelers...picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad 2010-2011...acquired as free agent by the Colts in 2012.

The Ravens get the depth they want at center now that Matt Birk has retired. Gino Gradkowski (the 2nd year man from Delaware) still has a chance to win the starting job. But now Shipley's entrance with a recent add-on of starting experience to his resume will make things interesting...

Shipley (6-foot-1, 309 pounds) was originally a seventh-round draft pick out of Penn State by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009, spent some time on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad, and then came to the Colts in 2012. He appeared in 14 games for Indianapolis last season, starting five of them.

For Baltimore, it's a wise investment in an up-and-coming center with some NFL experience. The Ravens' starting center for four years, Matt Birk, retired after winning Super Bowl XLVII in February, leaving the team with only their fourth-round pick from 2011, Gino Gradkowski, and their sixth-round pick from April, Ryan Jensen, on their roster at the position.

The Colts could afford to make this trade because of an abundance of guys listed as a center on their roster: starter Samson Satele, veteran Mike McGlynn, fourth-round draft pick rookie Khaled Holmes, and rookie Rick Schmeig, who was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Purdue on May 9.

Satele had a hard time staying healthy in his first year with the Colts since being acquired from the Oakland Raiders to replace Jeff Saturday. The big guy out of Hawaii injured his knee early in the season and his ankle late in the season, but he's otherwise been durable over his seven years in the league.

The Colts also likely got more value from the Ravens for Shipley than they would have gotten for Satele. Baltimore's run game coordinator, Juan Castillo, was the offensive line coach in Philadelphia while Shipley was there with the Eagles, making him something of a known commodity to the Ravens.

Shipley's younger than Satele and, in theory anyway, has more tread left on the tires. Baltimore may not have been willing to pay so much for Satele.

So the Colts trade from a position of wealth, keep the experienced Satele to start and to mentor the new guys, and now have a fourth-round pick in 2014 again, where plenty of valuable talent can still be found.

Here's how Eric Ivie of yahoosports.com grades this trade:

"The Ravens trade for a position of need, get a young up-and-coming guy who they're somewhat familiar with, and get him at a good price."

"And Shipley, of course, now gets his crack at becoming a starter in the NFL."

"A good trade all the way around."

Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com gives a slight advantage to the Colts in the trade:

"The Colts don’t need three centers, so dealing Shipley for a conditional pick -- we don’t know what it can be -- is completely reasonable. Being better than Satele last year wasn’t some giant achievement. I don’t mean that to demean Shipley -- I respect the work he did."

"But if the Colts don’t view him as a long-term piece of the franchise, it’s smart to get something for a guy who may not have made it out of training camp."

I see Kuharsky's point in that the Colts just drafted a rookie center in the 4th round--- Khaled Holmes of USC--- and usually you would expect a center taken that high to be your primary backup and next starter in line after your big-money veteran (Samson Satele) is finished. Shipley, despite his yeoman-like effort last season, was "expendable".

Ironically, Shipley was better in his five starts last season than Samson Satele was.

Satele got a three-year, $10.8 million deal from the Colts last year with $4 million guaranteed and a $3.2 million signing bonus. He’s due a $2.7 million base salary this year.

Sometimes life isn't fair... but at least Shipley now gets a fair shot to compete in Baltimore.