Fair point. He hasn't been at all interesting under Reed's stewardship, though - the only character in this arc who's really come across as more than wallpaper is Ghazi (even Carol, sort of, and she's our narrator), and it's not like Rick needs an excuse to crusade against Osborn anyway (or even to shoot Rossi, who after all, tried to blow him up too). So I don't think Carol's death is really supposed to be in any way for the benefit of his story... Reed's just bored with her.