Lardarius Webb - Pro Football Rumors

Vikings Interested In CB Lardarius Webb

March 13th, 2017 at 1:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings have interest in free agent defensive back Lardarius Webb, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press tweets. The Ravens have some level interest in bringing the fan favorite back on a reduced deal, so it’s fair to wonder if he’ll truly consider outside offers.

The Vikings currently project to start a pair of former first-round picks at cornerback in Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes with Harrison Smith at free safety and Andrew Sendejo at strong safety. However, after losing Captain Munnerlyn to the Panthers in free agency, they could use some veteran help in the secondary. Webb started all 16 regular season games for Baltimore last season while seeing time at cornerback and both safety spots.

Last season, the 31-year-old finished with 73 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.

Ravens May Re-Sign Lardarius Webb

March 13th, 2017 at 11:09am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Ravens are mulling a reunion with defensive back Lardarius Webb just days after releasing him, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Additionally, Baltimore may be closing in on agreement with free agent cornerback Morris Claiborne, as several teams with interest in Claiborne believe he’ll ultimately land with the Ravens, per La Canfora.

Baltimore cut ties with Webb on Friday after agreeing to terms with fellow safety Tony Jefferson, a cost-saving move that saved the club $5.5MM in cap space. Presumably, a potential Webb return would come with a lower price attached. Webb had spent his entire eight-year career in Baltimore appearing in 111 total games with 82 starts. Last season, the 31-year-old finished with 73 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in 16 games (all starts).

Claiborne, meanwhile, was first linked to the Ravens last week. The 26-year-old transformed himself from a former draft bust to a legitimate top corner in his fifth NFL season, ranking as Pro Football Focus 12th-best corner last year year. Re-signed to a one-year deal worth only $3MM in 2016, Claiborne played in seven and posted one interception. Injuries forced Claiborne to miss more than half of the regular season, though he did return for the postseason.

Ravens To Cut Lardarius Webb

March 10th, 2017 at 9:56am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens are releasing defensive back Lardarius Webb, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). We heard earlier this week that the Ravens were likely to part ways with the fan favorite.

By cutting one of their longest-tenured players, Baltimore will save $5.5MM in cap room. Webb, 31, is being displaced after the team’s high-priced signing of former Arizona safety Tony Jefferson. Jefferson is several years younger, but the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus were nearly as high on Webb as they were on Jefferson last year. Webb was PFF’s No. 15 ranked safety, Jefferson placed in fifth.

Webb has spent his entire eight-year career in Baltimore, until today. In total, he has appeared in 111 games with 82 starts. Last season, the defender finished with 73 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in 16 games (16 starts).

The Ravens will surely be looking for additional help at the position, as the team is currently rostering only a pair of safeties in Jefferson and Eric Weddle.

Ravens To Sign Tony Jefferson

March 8th, 2017 at 8:22pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A year after signing safety Eric Weddle, the Ravens are set to make another splash at the position in free agency. The club will sign Tony Jefferson, report Adam Schefter and Dianna Russini of ESPN (Twitter link).

Jefferson is the second big-name defender who has agreed to depart the Cardinals this evening, joining soon-to-be Jaguar Calais Campbell. The safety’s decision to sign with the Ravens came in spite of a better offer from the AFC North rival Browns, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Jets also had interest in Jefferson, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link), but Weddle helped convince him to head to Baltimore, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Jefferson hit clubs’ radars in the wake of a season in which he logged career bests in tackles (92), starts (14) and sacks (two). Although Jefferson failed to intercept a pass last year, and has recorded only two picks in four NFL seasons, he’s known for his line-of-scrimmage prowess and managed to rank an outstanding fifth in performance among Pro Football Focus’ 89 qualified safeties. He also rated as our 11th-best free agent and top safety.

The addition of an in-his-prime Jefferson, 25, is a boon for the Ravens, but not for one of their other safeties, Lardarius Webb. The team is now primed to release him and pick up $5.5MM in cap room, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Interestingly, PFF liked the 15th-ranked Webb’s play nearly as much as it did Jefferson’s last season. However, at 31, Webb is the far older of the two. To this point, he has spent his entire eight-year career in Baltimore, where he has amassed 111 appearances, 82 starts and 13 interceptions. Webb started all 16 of the Ravens’ games last year.

Ravens Make Aggressive Offer To Kelechi Osemele

February 25th, 2016 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens have offered to make pending free agent offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele their second-highest offensive player behind Joe Flacco, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that Baltimore has made an “aggressive” offer to Osemele, adding that the team views him as its left tackle (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun).

When general manager Ozzie Newsome spoke to reporters on Wednesday, he referred to Eugene Monroe as the team’s left tackle, with Osemele facing free agency, but as Zrebiec writes, it was hardly a ringing endorsement of Monroe’s place in the starting lineup, or even on the roster.

While the Ravens are willing to make Osemele their second-highest-paid offensive player, they may have to do so by a significant margin in order to retain him. In terms of per-year salary, guard Marshal Yanda is currently right behind Flacco among offensive players, with an annual salary of just under $8MM. In terms of total value and guaranteed money, Monroe ranks second behind Flacco, with $37.5MM and $17.5MM respectively.

Unless Osemele is willing to take a hometown discount, I’d expect the Ravens to have to pay him upwards of $10MM per season on a four- or five-year deal, since he’s viewed as a left tackle. If he hits the open market, there will likely be at least one or two clubs willing to pay him that much, so it’ll be interesting to see how his talks with the Ravens play out.

Here are several more Ravens updates:

While Newsome insisted on Wednesday that the Ravens don’t have to rework Flacco’s contract this offseaon, Harbaugh would be surprised if the two sides don’t address Flacco’s deal (Twitter link via Zrebiec).
Harbaugh confirmed that the Ravens are talking to Trent Richardson, though he cautioned that the deal isn’t done yet, per Zrebiec (Twitter link). We heard earlier today that Richardson is expected to sign with the team as long as he passes a physical.
Whether or not Richardson comes aboard, Harbaugh sees Justin Forsett as part of the Ravens’ 2016 outlook, meaning he’s not considered a potential cap casualty, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.
Tight end is a priority for the Ravens, with Crockett Gillmore having undergone surgery on both his shoulders and Nick Boyle facing a 10-game suspension (link via Hensley). Zrebiec notes (via Twitter) that Harbaugh was “all over” Boyle, telling reporters that – while the team has no plans to cut the tight end – “there’s no explanation for dumb.”
Zrebiec passed along several quotes from Newsome’s Wednesday presser, along with interpretations of what those comments meant. Among Newsome’s most notable statements? The GM expects safety Lardarius Webb back at his current cap figure.
Zrebiec tweets that Newsome also challenged quarterback-needy teams to give him a call about the sixth overall pick in the draft.

AFC Notes: Mariota, Clowney, Jaguars

March 28th, 2015 at 7:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Probably the most-discussed prospect during this year’s pre-NFL draft cycle, Marcus Mariota has drawn the interest from numerous teams who think they have a chance to either select him in the top 10 or move up to No. 2 to make the pick.

At No. 6, the Jets are doing their research. GM Mike Maccagnan and five additional “decision-makers” flew to Eugene, Ore., to work out the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

New coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey joined the Jets’ contingent. Bowles noted earlier this week Geno Smith remains the Jets’ starter, but the former second-round pick has played wildly inconsistent football in two seasons.

Elsewhere around the AFC …

Last year’s No. 1 pick and the most-hyped defender to come out of college this decade, Jadeveon Clowney is making “terrific progress” on his recovery from microfracture surgery, the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain reports. Clowney, who told McClain he couldn’t put weight on his right leg until around seven weeks transpired after his Dec. 2014 surgery, hopes to be back on the field by Texans training camp. But the microfracture procedure is one of the worst to undergo if the goal is a quick recovery, although Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce emerged to make an impact less than 12 months after an October 2013 procedure.
The Jaguars are “almost certain” to take Florida defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. at No. 3 overall, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. opined to the Florida Times-Union‘s Hays Carlyon. As for the Jags’ second-round pick at No. 36: Kiper noted running backs Todd Gurley and Tevin Coleman (Indiana) before mentioning Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, a former projected first-rounder who sustained a torn ACL in the Liberty Bowl, as a possible wild-card choice, per the Times-Union. Ogbuehi played guard alongside 2013 Jags No. 2 overall selection Luke Joeckel with the Aggies in 2012. Kiper cites the Jaguars’ myriad additions in free agency providing flexibility in Round 2.
The former coaches of the Jags’ marquee free agent signings, Julius Thomas, Davon House, Jermey Parnell and Dan Skuta, offered positive stances about their fits in Jacksonville, reports the Florida Times-Union’s Ryan O’Halloran.
After helping the Ravens save more than $2MM in 2015 cap space, Lardarius Webb hopes to finish his career in Baltimore, reports the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson. The longtime Ravens corner can earn up to $18MM over the next three years thanks to $500K playing-time incentives in each of those prospective seasons. “Doing the restructure, I’m glad it helps the team financially to make more moves to make the team better,” Webb told Wilson. “It’s not easy losing great players like Torrey Smith, Haloti Ngata and Pernell McPhee, but this happens every year.”

Contract Details: Clay, Cromartie, Webb, Britt

March 24th, 2015 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are some specific details on a number of contracts agreed to and/or signed recently. One-year minimum salary benefit deals aren’t included.

AFC deals:

Charles Clay, TE (Bills): Five years, $38MM base value. $24.5MM fully guaranteed. $10MM signing bonus. $10MM roster bonus in 2016. No-trade clause for first three years (three Twitter links via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com and Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
Antonio Cromartie, CB (Jets): Four years, $32MM base value. $7MM guaranteed. $2MM roster bonus. No signing bonus (link via Brian Costello of the New York Post).
Lardarius Webb, CB (Ravens): Restructured contract. Three years, $18MM base value. $5.25MM guaranteed. $3MM roster bonus in 2015 (link via Wilson).
Nate Irving, LB (Colts): Three years, $7.25MM base value. $1.5MM guaranteed. $750K signing bonus. Escalators in 2016, 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
Karl Klug, DL (Titans): Two years, $3.75MM base value. $1MM signing bonus. $200K roster bonus in 2016. Up to $625K in annual incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
James Harrison, OLB (Steelers): Two years, $2.75MM base value. $500K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Byron Stingily, T (Titans): Two years, $2.5MM base value. $250K signing bonus. $800K playing-time escalator (Twitter link via Wilson).
Louis Delmas, S (Dolphins): One year, $2.25MM base value. Up to $1.25MM in incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
Mitch Unrein, DT (Chargers): Two years, $1.9MM base value. $250K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).

NFC deals:

Kenny Britt, WR (Rams): Two years, $9.15MM base value. $4.05MM guaranteed. $1.5MM roster bonus in 2015. Potential void in 2016 based on 2015 escalator (link via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).
Jacob Tamme, TE (Falcons): Two years, $3.2MM base value. $400K signing bonus. $250K roster bonus in 2016. $1MM escalator based on performance, playing time (Twitter links via Wilson).
Clint Gresham, LS (Seahawks): Three years, $2.705MM base value. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Ahtyba Rubin, DL (Seahawks): One year, $2.5MM base value. $1MM signing bonus. Up to $500K in playing-time incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
Kenrick Ellis, DT (Giants): One year, $1.475MM base value. $500K guaranteed. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com).
George Selvie, DE (Giants): One year, $1.2MM base value. $200K signing bonus. Up to $200K in incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).

Ravens Rework Webb’s Contract, Re-Sign Cox

March 18th, 2015 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

WEDNESDAY, 9:03am: Webb’s restructure will include $5.5MM guaranteed, including a $3MM bonus, a league source tells Wilson (on Twitter).

TUESDAY, 5:00pm: It looks like Webb’s salary may have been reduced to $6MM not just for 2015 but for ’16 and ’17 as well. Wilson tweets that the corner is now due to make $18MM over the next three years.

4:36pm: Webb will see his 2015 base salary reduced to $6MM, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). If that’s the only change to Webb’s contract, it would create $2MM in cap savings for the Ravens.

3:58pm: The Ravens have made a series of roster moves, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links), who reports that the team has restructured the contract of cornerback Lardarius Webb and announced new deals for defensive lineman Christo Bilukidi and long snapper Morgan Cox.

The Ravens reportedly asked Webb to take a pay cut earlier this offseason, and I imagine the corner’s new deal will reduce his overall earnings, rather than simply converting a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus. Webb’s cap hit had been set to jump from $7.5MM in 2014 to $12MM in 2015, which included a base salary of $8MM.

Webb didn’t escape unscathed during a 2014 season in which the Ravens’ secondary was decimated by injuries. The veteran corner missed three games early in the year with a lower back injury, and appeared to be somewhat hampered by those back issues throughout the season. Webb’s season-long grade on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) reflected those injury problems — he ranked 78th out of 108 qualified cornerbacks in 2014 after grading as a top-20 corner in 2013. Still, if he’s back at full health, Webb’s return should help solidify Baltimore’s secondary in 2015.

As for the Ravens’ two signings, Cox has served as Baltimore’s long snapper since 2010, but missed a good chunk of the 2014 season after being placed on injured reserve with a torn ACL in October. Assuming he’s healthy in time for the 2015 season, I’d expect Cox to resume long snapping duties for the team.

A part-time player for Baltimore last season before being sidelined by an ankle injury, Bilukidi played just 47 defensive snaps after being claimed off waivers from Cincinnati. His new two-year deal with the Ravens was reported last month.

Ravens Ask Lardarius Webb To Take Pay Cut

March 3rd, 2015 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens are asking cornerback Lardarius Webb to reduce his salary for the 2015 season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Webb’s contract calls for an $8MM base salary this coming year, to go along with a $12MM cap number.

Webb didn’t escape unscathed during a 2014 season in which the Ravens’ secondary was decimated by injuries. The veteran corner missed three games early in the year with a lower back injury, and appeared to be somewhat hampered by those back issues throughout the season. Webb’s season-long grade on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) reflected those injury problems — he ranked 78th out of 108 qualified cornerbacks in 2014 after grading as a top-20 corner in 2013.

With Webb’s cap hit set to jump from $7.5MM to $12MM, it’s unclear if the Ravens would cut him if he refuses to take a pay cut — since he still has $10MM in prorated bonus money left on his deal over the next three seasons, releasing him would create just $2MM in cap savings if he’s not designated as a post-June 1 cut. Additionally, if he’s healthy again for the 2014 season, the Ravens could use Webb’s presence in the secondary.

Whether or not Webb returns for 2015, the Ravens are expected to add cornerbacks this offseason to help solidify a group led by Jimmy Smith, whose 2014 campaign ended early due to a foot injury. Cary Williams, released today by the Eagles, reportedly has interest in returning to Baltimore and makes some sense as a veteran target for the team.

La Canfora On Manning, Suh, McCown, Saints

February 25th, 2015 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Weighing in on two of the biggest offseason stories, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com leads off his latest piece by looking at the Peyton Manning and Ndamukong Suh situations. In La Canfora’s view, Manning will ultimately return to the Broncos after the two sides tweak his contract a little. As for Suh, the CBSSports.com scribe doesn’t have any updates on the Lions‘ talks with the defensive star, but says he thinks the Jaguars and Raiders will be major players. For those teams to be involved in the Suh derby, he’d have to reach the open market, which would mean no long-term deal or franchise tag from Detroit.

La Canfora also passes along plenty more tidbits related to free agency, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….

When it comes to the market’s top pass rushers, La Canfora thinks Pernell McPhee can reach $10MM per year, with Jerry Hughes in the $9MM range, and Brandon Graham and Jason Worilds around $7.5MM. La Canfora also believes that all four of those players will join new teams next month.
Free agent quarterback Josh McCown is expected to decide on his new team later this week or early next week, and could land another deal worth $5MM annually. The Bills and Browns look like the best bets for McCown, according to La Canfora.
The Saints are working through contract issues with about a half-dozen players on their roster, sources tell La Canfora. If things work out the way the team hopes, Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, and Curtis Lofton would likely stick around on reduced salaries, while Ben Grubbs, Brodrick Bunkley, and David Hawthorne could be let go. As for Junior Galette, La Canfora is hearing that head coach Sean Payton has “expressed a desire” to part ways with him, following his January arrest. However, Galette’s contract still contains a sizeable chunk of guaranteed money, and the team likely can’t void those guarantees.
Percy Harvin probably won’t accept a pay cut from the Jets, which means the team will likely cut him. La Canfora expects the wideout to gamble himself in free agency, signing a one-year deal with a team that has a good quarterback in place.
The Jaguars will be seeking a top pass catcher, and La Canfora wouldn’t be surprised if the team lands a player like Randall Cobb or Julius Thomas. Per La Canfora, the Packers recognize Cobb’s market could get out of hand, and may focus on re-signing other key free agents, like Bryan Bulaga and Letroy Guion.
Chiefs center Rodney Hudson came very close to signing a four-year extension worth $6MM per year during the season. He’s a good bet to exceed that amount in free agency, and the Raiders are one viable suitor.
La Canfora anticipates the Ravens will work out a restructured deal with Lardarius Webb, but isn’t as certain about Haloti Ngata, who may play for a new team in 2015.
The Jets would have interest in Ryan Mallett if he reaches the open market. However, the Texans have made their interest in the quarterback clear, and Mallett himself said today that he’d like to return to Houston (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).