Take it from Reid, Harbaugh is the right guy for Ravens

But McNair isn't the future. Quarterback Kyle Boller, the team's first pick in the 2003 draft, and Troy Smith may not be, either. Which means Harbaugh's first order of business is to evaluate the position and start making plans for the next starter.

It's a situation not dissimilar to what Reid faced when, as a relative unknown from Green Bay, he took over in Philadelphia in 1999. Despite calls for the club to draft running back Ricky Williams, Reid used his first pick on Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb -- and all he did was lead the club to four straight conference championship games and one Super Bowl.

But Reid worked with quarterbacks in Green Bay; Harbaugh worked with cornerbacks in Philadelphia. And then he did it for only one season. The question many persons pose is: Why is someone who spent most of his career working with special teams qualified to be a head coach?

Take it away, Andy.

"In some respects," said Reid, "special teams coaches are more prepared than anyone. You're working with kickoffs, kickoff coverages, punts ... and you're working with the entire roster, the entire football team, to make it work. Not only that, but situations are constantly changing."

If it sounds like Reid is supportive of the move, you're getting warm. He switched Harbaugh from his special-teams job a year ago in anticipation of something like this. Reid knew how difficult it was for a special teams coordinator to gain head-coaching interest, but he also knew how much Harbaugh wanted to head a team.

"It got to the point in his career," said Reid, "where he needed to make a move."

Well, he just did. A big one. And listening to Reid, it should pay off for Baltimore.