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Lardarius Webb

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Webb, Browns

February 25th, 2015 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this morning, we passed along word that the Steelers have restructured Marcus Gilbert‘s contract, converting base salary and roster bonus money into a signing bonus to create nearly $4MM in cap savings for 2015. Now, let’s check in on what else is going on around the AFC North division. Here’s the latest:

  • In addition to trying to restructure the contract of Haloti Ngata, the Ravens are also working on figuring something out for cornerback Lardarius Webb, per Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Webb has a cap number of $12MM for 2015, which would only be reduced to $10MM if he were released.
  • Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome has been running the team’s personnel department since its inaugural season, but he isn’t considering leaving Baltimore for retirement or another job, as Wilson writes. “Every time I walk in this office, it’s a good day,” Newsome said. “I enjoy coming to work every day, and the first time I walk in here and it doesn’t feel good, then that’s when I’ll call the boss and let him know.”
  • The NFL will likely wrap up its investigation into the Browns‘ “Textgate” scandal this week, and announce disciplinary measures for the team, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora adds that the Falcons‘ fake crowd noise case is close to resolution as well.
  • Pat McManamon of ESPN.com lays out a few reasons why he believes the idea of the Browns acquiring Sam Bradford is unrealistic.
  • Belatedly responding to a report from three weeks ago, Browns president Alec Scheiner disputed the notion that he has attempted to become too involved in the football side of the team’s operations. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has the details and the quotes from Scheiner.

Combine Pressers: Washington, Lions, Chargers, Ravens

February 18th, 2015 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Head coaches and general managers continue to speak to the media at press conferences in Indianapolis, and we’ve already rounded up the highlights from several of them so far today. Here are a few more noteworthy comments from some NFL decision-makers, with all links go to the Twitter accounts of various reporters in attendance:

Washington head coach Jay Gruden:

  • In perhaps the most newsworthy moment of any of today’s pressers so far, Gruden said that Robert Griffin III will open the 2015 campaign as Washington’s starting quarterback. There’s still plenty of time for things to change between today and September, but on a day when Jay Cutler couldn’t get a vote of confidence from the Bears, it’s notable that Washington seems committed to RGIII.
  • According to Gruden, the Washington front office is in contact with the reps for high-priced players like Pierre Garcon, Barry Cofield, and Stephen Bowen about possible contract restructures. Discussing Garcon specifically, the head coach stressed that the veteran wideout is still very much in the club’s plans.
  • Echoing the mantra of new GM Scot McCloughan, Gruden said Washington’s philosophy will be to target the best available players in the draft.

Lions GM Martin Mayhew:

  • While he admitted that a new deal with Ndamukong Suh isn’t done, Mayhew remains confident that the two sides will work something out. According to the GM, the defensive scheme, coaches, and players are all a good match for Suh, and the club will definitely “keep working on it.”
  • The Lions still haven’t decided whether or not they’ll resort to the franchise tag if the team and Suh don’t reach an agreement by March 2. Detroit also remains undecided about the fifth-year option for offensive tackle Riley Reiff, and hasn’t yet made any final determinations on any free agents except center Dominic Raiola, who won’t be re-signed.
  • Mayhew can envision a situation where both Suh and Nick Fairley return to Detroit, but he can also imagine a scenario in which neither player is back. The Lions aren’t sure yet how seriously they’ll pursue Fairley, but will meet with his agent, Brian Overstreet, this week.
  • The general manager also has a combine meeting lined up with the agent for free-agent-to-be Matt Prater.
  • According to Mayhew, the team is engaged in dialogue with some players about contract restructures to clear some cap room. Although the GM didn’t identify anyone specifically, one of those players could be Reggie Bush — Mayhew said the team hasn’t determined yet what the running back’s future with the team is.

Chargers GM Tom Telesco:

  • The Chargers plan to meet with the agent for free agent running back Ryan Mathews at the combine this week, according to Telesco. The GM added that the Chargers are “a different team” when Mathews is healthy and on the field.
  • The team is currently planning for D.J. Fluker to play right tackle in 2015, rather than continuing to try him at guard. San Diego figures to have some holes to fill on its offensive line this offseason, so having a set plan for Fluker should help identify the spots that need to be addressed.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh:

  • According to Harbaugh, the team’s free agents want to return to Baltimore, and the team wants them back. “That bodes well for us,” Harbaugh said.
  • It’s not clear if the head coach’s comment applies to every Ravens free-agent-to-be, but when he was asked specifically about Torrey Smith, Haloti Ngata, and Lardarius Webb, Harbaugh said, “They want to be back [and] we want them back, so we should have a good chance.” Smith is eligible for free agency, while Ngata and Webb are candidates for contract restructures or pay cuts.
  • Harbaugh also expects wide receiver Steve Smith to be back with the Ravens in 2015. The former Panther has two years left on his contract, but will turn 36 in May, so retirement may be a viable option soon.

AFC Mailbags: Chiefs, Jaguars, Ravens, Bengals

January 31st, 2015 at 10:00am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday morning, and ESPN.com’s NFL writers are opening their mailbags to answer questions from the readers. Let’s check out some notes from the AFC…

  • Adam Teicher believes Bryan Bulaga would make sense for the Chiefs, but he cautions that the team may need to back out if the bidding gets too high. As an alternative, the writer suggests the team could re-sign Ryan Harris to a much cheaper deal.
  • The Jaguars need to target a veteran wideout in free agency, writes Michael DiRocco. The teams young core of receivers, including Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee, played well in 2014, but the writer believes quarterback Blake Bortles would benefit from having a more seasoned target.
  • Jamison Hensley says there needs to be a “compromise” between the Ravens and cornerback Lardarius Webb. The organization won’t be able to pay the 29-year-old the $8MM he’d owed in 2015, and the team also wouldn’t have much of an incentive to cutting the player. Hensley notes that Webb could play “hardball” with the Ravens, but the writer believes they’ll ultimately restructure the contract.
  • Focusing on wide receivers, Hensley believes the Ravens best course would be re-signing Torrey Smith and drafting a wideout in the first two rounds. For running backs, the writer opines that Justin Forsett may be too pricey for the team. Instead, Hensley suggests former first-rounders Mark Ingram, Darren McFadden and Ryan Mathews as options.
  • The Bengals top concerns this offseason should be re-signing offensive guard Clint Boling and linebacker Rey Maualuga, according to Coley Harvey. Outside of the organization, the writer suggests the team could target Browns tight end Jordan Cameron.

AFC North Links: Webb, Browns, Eifert

December 27th, 2014 at 11:30am CST by Ben Levine

Lardarius Webb has battled a back injury all season, and the Ravens cornerback told Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun that he suffered nerve damage in his back during training camp, severely hampering the start of his season. However, the 29-year-old is starting to regain his old form, and his defensive coordinater believes he’ll be a force for the rest of the season.

“I actually graded the film on the plane on the way back, and then I came in and watched the film again on Monday morning and I texted him right after I got done and said, ‘That’s the best you’ve played all year. You look like you’re kind of getting back to the Lardarius that I know,'” said Dean Pees. “I think that is a very, very positive thing about him. Hey, we need him right here at the end. I was very pleased with the way he played.”

Webb echoed that sentiment:

“Yeah, I feel awesome. It was late in the season and everything, but I do feel good now. I’ve been through a long season. I started off on the back burner with a back injury. I’ve just been trying to catch up the whole time and get it right eventually. Now, I’m right.

“That’s how nerve injuries do, they take time. I had to fight through it all year with the good and the bad. It would be perfect going into the playoffs to play your best game. Hopefully, we can continue playing and win this game and go into the playoffs and keep improving on the back end. It’s been a long year, a humbling year. I’ve been through a lot of adversity since I’ve been in the NFL. That’s been my career.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC’s northern division…

  • Browns‘ cornerback Buster Skrine is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, but defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil wants him back, reports Jeff Schudel of the News-Herald (via Twitter). With Joe Haden playing at a Pro Bowl level and first-round pick Justin Gilbert on the roster, Skrine may be more comfortable going elsewhere to continue his career. Skrine has not talked about his next contract.
  • Meanwhile, Browns coach Mike Pettine was asked if he wants Skrine on the team next season. “Yeah, he’s a Brown,” he answered (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). “It’s tough when you have guys that are up (for free agency). That’s the reality of business. As far as what we’re looking for, and I already talked about it, just everything from Buster from A to Z is a guy that you want on your football team.”
  • Before the season, Browns safety Jim Leonhard declared 2014 his final NFL season. According to Tom Reed of Cleveland.com, the veteran is sticking by the statement. “But, no, it’s not happening. I’m very happy with my decision and I’m looking forward to that next chapter . . .I definitely want to get out and travel a little bit with the family. Outside of that, head back to Madison (Wisc.) and figure it out. I had a lot of conversations with people and we’ll see what happens, where this thing leads.”
  • Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert has struggled through injuries all season, and head coach Marvin Lewis confirmed yesterday that the 24-year-old’s season is over. Eifert had left shoulder surgery earlier this month, helping repair an injury he sustained in training camp. “It’s been unfortunate for him,” Lewis said (via ESPN.com’s Coley Harvey), “but it was the best thing for him.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Webb, Peterson, Cowboys

December 6th, 2014 at 10:55pm CST by Rob DiRe

While everyone was watching the college football crown its conference champions, a few NFL stories trickled through worth mentioning. To take a break from arguing TCU, Baylor, and Ohio State, here a few stories from around the NFL this Saturday night:

  • Ravens‘ cornerback Lardarius Webb has not had his best season in 2014, which could lead to a difficult decision for the team this offseason. Given his poor performance, it will be not be easy to swallow his $8MM salary next season, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN. He is the sixth highest paid corner in the league next year, and with his injury history the team would prefer to see if Webb would accept a pay cut to stay with the team going forward.The team has already reworked the Webb’s contract to clear up cap space this past offseason, The Ravens biggest weakness has been among its cornerbacks, and losing Webb for nothing would only save the team $2MM in cap space and leave them thin in the defensive backfield.
  • Adrian Peterson has stated that he believes he will continuing playing in his extended prime for five or six more years. At $13MM in 2015, the Vikings might not be the place where Peterson finishes his career, but he will have his choice of landing spots writes Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. Wesseling writes that Peterson proved doubters wrong when he returned from a torn ACL to have his best year as a pro, and could be the outlier who continues his success later in his career.
  • If the Vikings do move on from Peterson, the obvious suitor for his services would be the Cowboys, writes Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The team has treated DeMarco Murray like a “rented mule” according to Souhan, and all indications are that the team is going to use up Murray in the last year of his contract before looking for a bigger name back like Peterson via trade or free agency this offseason.

AFC Links: Irsay, Webb, Jets, Browns

October 11th, 2014 at 4:55pm CST by Rob DiRe

Colts‘ owner Jim Irsay has rejoined the team as of yesterday, after serving a six week suspension that kept him out of the spotlight following his misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Head coach Chuck Pagano was happy to have the owner back with the team, according to the Baltimore Sun.

“It’s huge. We talked about it in the locker room (after win at Houston). A lot of great things have happened with this football team with the win and first place and all that stuff. You know we have 10 days to heal up and the best thing is that we get our boss back, we get our owner back,” said Pagano. ”We get the guy that is leading this whole thing, so it is going to be huge. He has been with us in spirit so to speak for the past six games, but I can’t wait to have him in that locker room with us again and have him back in the building and grinding away with him.“

  • Ravens‘ cornerback Lardarius Webb has struggled this season, and with the emergence of 2011 first-round pick Jimmy Smith, he is not guaranteed a roster spot in 2015, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN. He is owed $8MM in 2015, and the team can save $5MM by cutting him. Hensley also notes that the team could approach Webb about taking a pay cut to stay with the team.
  • The Jets already got their own post earlier today, where it was noted that they are in place to be big spenders in free agency this offseason. Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes that while he expects them to spend, he would be surprised if they handed out a huge contract to one player. For any Jets’ fans dreaming of signing Dez Bryant, Cimini tells them to “keep dreaming.”
  • Geno Smith may appear confident, but through his first 21 games with the Jets, some may say it is a “false bravado” writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. He notes that Smith’s off the field antics and on the field performance only give credence to the pre-draft reports that Smith would struggle with work ethic and fail to emerge as a leader at the NFL level.
  • As the Browns prepare to face the Steelers this weekend, a team that has owned them since drafting Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. Pat McManamon of ESPN put together a list of stats and notes to watch as the team prepare to ruin Roethlisberger’s 18-1 record against the Browns.

Ravens Not Planning Contract Extensions

August 28th, 2014 at 8:18pm CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens gained some financial flexibility this week when they restructured cornerback Lardarius Webb‘s $50MM contract, but that doesn’t mean contract extensions for their current players are on the way, sources tell Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.

Extension candidates in Baltimore include wide receiver Torrey Smith, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, cornerback Jimmy Smith, and Pro Bowl kicker Justin Tucker, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll be inking new deals right away. Smith is probably the most likely candidate of that group as he enters the final year of his deal, but Wilson hears that talks haven’t advanced all that quickly between the club and the former Maryland standout. Ngata, whose contract talks with the Ravens didn’t get far earlier this year, is under contract for the next two seasons at $8.5 million per year. Tucker, meanwhile, can be retained as a restricted free agent after this season and there haven’t been any talks between the two sides. Jimmy Smith has two years left on his deal and recently said that he’s not expecting an extension to materialize.

Meanwhile, even after signing veteran cornerback Derek Cox to a one-year deal, the Ravens are actively monitoring the waiver wire and the trade block for a CB, according to Wilson.

Ravens Rework Lardarius Webb’s Contract

August 27th, 2014 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens have reworked the contract of cornerback Lardarius Webb in order to create some additional cap space, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today. According to Pelissero, it’s a simple restructure, with $4MM of Webb’s 2014 base salary converted into a signing bonus.

Webb, 28, had been in line for a $7.5MM base salary this season, with an additional $3MM in prorated bonus money resulting in a $10.5MM cap hit. Because his deal runs through the 2017 season, the new $4MM bonus will be spread out in equal $1MM installments over the next four years. So, by reducing Webb’s 2014 salary to $3.5MM and adding that additional $1MM to his prorated bonus total, the Ravens create $3MM in cap savings for ’14.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the Ravens now have about $6.95MM in cap room for the coming season, nearly double what they had before reworking Webb’s deal. It remains to be seen whether the team will need any of that space for a major signing – such as perhaps a Torrey Smith or Jimmy Smith extension – but at the very least it will provide some flexibility in case any in-season additions are required.

Sunday Roundup: Clemens, Fairley, Bortles

August 17th, 2014 at 12:57pm CST by Rory Parks

The preseason has reached its unofficial halfway point, and teams must trim their rosters to 75 players in just over a week from now. As position competitions continue to smolder and as bubble players strive to prove themselves in preseason contests, let’s take a look at some notes from around the league:

  • Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean offers some lessons learned from the Titans‘ second preseason game against the Saints. He notes that Travis Coons‘ accuracy has made the kicking competition with Maikon Bonani much more interesting than anticipated, and while return specialist Marc Mariani still faces an uphill battle to make the club, his returns on Saturday night have kept him in the picture.
  • Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com believes the Ravens should keep starting corners Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith on the shelf until the regular season opener against the Bengals. Baltimore has been “snakebitten” at the cornerback position and Hensley believes the team’s best bet is to hope that a decent player gets released as the preseason rolls on. He writes that, if free agents like Asante Samuel and Dunta Robinson could help, they would have jobs by now.
  • Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego writes that the Chargers are thrilled to have Kellen Clemens as Philip Rivers‘ backup, as they are confident Clemens could win games for them if he were pressed into duty.
  • Mike Klis of the Denver Post ranks undrafted free agent Juwan Thompson as the Broncos‘ biggest training camp surprise. Though Thompson entered camp as the No. 6 tailback on the roster, he now appears to have a legitimate shot at making the club.
  • Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that the Lions need to salvage Nick Fairley, who represents their last hope from the now infamous 2011 draft, but if Fairley does not show improvement soon, he could be a midseason trade candidate.
  • Birkett (Twitter links) and Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com offer brief discussions of the Lions‘ wide receiver competition and predict which wideouts may make the club.
  • Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com provides a list of which Packers bubble players helped themselves and who hurt themselves in Saturday’s preseason game against the Rams.
  • Ben Volin of the Boston Globe believes the Browns and Jaguars should hand the reins to Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel right away, rather than have them sit behind the players they will eventually overtake. Since Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan led their clubs to the playoffs during their rookie seasons in 2008, rookie quarterbacks have fared very well when thrown into the fire from day one. For what it’s worth, Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida-Times Union tweets that Bortles will finally get reps with the first team offense on Monday and could play with the ones in the second quarter in the team’s upcoming preseason game against the Lions.

AFC Notes: Ravens, Pats, Chargers, Moreno

March 22nd, 2014 at 10:25am CST by Matt Feminis

The Ravens’ free agent activity has been characterized by value signings, writes ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley. The team was able to sign four starters and their top kick returner without breaking the bank. Additionally, the Ravens will actually be paying Steve Smith less ($4.5MM) than the Panthers ($5MM) are on the hook for this season.

Other AFC news and notes: