Five different cornerbacks have started this preseason for the Ravens, but it appears – based on playing time and the timing of the players' insertion into those contests – that Lardarius Webb has given way to at least Cary Williams and rookie Jimmy Smith on the depth chart.
Webb, a third-round pick in 2009, seemed to confirm that picture after the team's 34-31 win against the Washington Redskins on Thursday night with his post-game comments in the locker room.
Asked if the competition at cornerback – which includes Williams, Smith, Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr – makes him better, Webb replied, "Oh, it's great. Everybody is learning for each other. And you're watching the guy in front of you, who is just balling his butt off, and that just makes you want to go out the next week and be like, 'Oh, I've got to bring my A game every day because he's having a great camp.' So me, personally, I just want to be beside him or near him anywhere. I don't want to take him off the field if he's playing that great of ball. So I just want to be on the field with him."Statistically, Webb has played well thus far. He leads the defense in both tackles (11) and sacks (1½), and he is tied with cornerbacks Talmadge Jackson and Josh Victorian and strong safety Bernard Pollard with one interception each.
Webb's interception occurred in the third quarter Thursday night as he matched wide receiver Donte' Stallworth stride-for-stride and picked off an overthrown deep ball by quarterback John Beck.
Webb said prior to the play, he knew that Stallworth was going to run a deep route.
"I knew Stallworth wasn't going to stop," Webb said. "I knew he wasn't going to be doing a stop route. We went against him all last year, so [it was] a double move all the way. And then they want to make a statement with Stallworth. So I just felt disrespected because it was the first time I was at corner, and they took me deep."
