Lardarius Webb As a Safety?

[jimmysmith3]

With our abundance at safety and relative weakness at corner, it doesn't make sense to do it this season. Many have speculated that Webb would be much better suited to playing as a safety and tonight he really stood out to me with his ability to blitz the QB and help out in the run game, along with his inability to cover. Do you think he would be better suited to playing as a safety in the coming years?

[20ReedsAll]

I actually have thought the same thing. Just the way he plays, he looks like a natural safety to me. I'm pretty sure he played safety in college as well. Regardless, he's a good developing corner, so there is no need to play position roulette with him imo.

[flynismo]

He was a safety in college; we converted him to CB, but he's too small at this level.

[I AM LEGEND]

Webb looked to have so much potential his first year at corner...maybe the injury has had lingering issues

[Yatagarasu]

Make him gain 20 lbs and put him at safety. He can be those man covering safeties. I wish he was bigger so he can play the rover position like Charles Woodson. That acl injury is basically a 2 year injury so he should get his speed back this year. I hope...

[Yatagarasu]

Here are some attributes of some of the safeties around Lardarius Webb's size.

Lardarius Webb: 5'10" 179 lbs 4.46s

Brandon Meriweather: 5'11" 200 lbs 4.49s
Patrick Chung: 5'11" 212lbs 4.49s
T.J. Ward: 5'10" 211lbs 4.54s
Jairus Byrd: 5'10" 200lbs 4.60s
Earl Thomas 5'10" 202 lbs 4.44s

[hawkprey]

Webb doesn't have an inability to cover... just give him more time on his technique. And many of his abilities make him suited for the slot. Not just the safety position.

[PWNEDbyDEANO]

I liked him in the role he played last night; nickel or dime CB who often comes on a blitz. Plus, I don't think he has the size to play safety in the AFCN, with big RBs like Hillis and Mendenhall that he'll have to stop on a regular basis.

[indianstick]

Ive thought about this for a while bc he played saftey in college, it could be a possibility down the road. He might be too small for it but he def plays a lot bigger than he is. It would be great for him to add maybe 5-10 pounds of muscle. I like him a lot in the slot, he just needs to keep working on his technique

[ravensfan160]

Webb's been a big disappointment so far this year. He's struggled in coverage at times and then he fumbled the punt return. With Cary Williams playing so well, Webb may begin to fall down the depth chart quite a bit.

[Ronthekeys]

[quote name='ravensfan160' timestamp='1313856799' post='757873']
Webb's been a big disappointment so far this year. He's struggled in coverage at times and then he fumbled the punt return. With Cary Williams playing so well, Webb may begin to fall down the depth chart quite a bit.
[/quote]I agree.. I've been very disappointed in Webb thus far. He gets beat way to much and always playing off the ball. It's like he wants the receiver to catch the ball so he can just make the tackle. I definitely don't like him on the outside..he's better in the inside..he's more of a nickel and dime DB. I think safety might be the best move for him. If he starts over Cary Williams then something is wrong because Cary have been playing way better then Webb at this point... Cary might be playing the best out of all our CB thus far.

[True]

I'd keep him at CB. He has great speed and can match up well against those fast WR. Mike Wallace was not a huge factor against the Ravens primarily because Webb was the one tailing him and keeping him in check.

He also has some play making ability when he picks off passes and in the PR/KR game he has the ability to score. It's only the pre-season and he's just getting acclimated to the game again. He and Josh Wilson did a good job IMO last year and I see him getting better.

[RavensAllTheWay]

[quote name='True' timestamp='1313865631' post='758125']
[b]I'd keep him at CB. He has great speed and can match up well against those fast WR. Mike Wallace was not a huge factor against the Ravens primarily because Webb was the one tailing him and keeping him in check.[/b]

He also has some play making ability when he picks off passes and in the PR/KR game he has the ability to score. It's only the pre-season and he's just getting acclimated to the game again. He and Josh Wilson did a good job IMO last year and I see him getting better.
[/quote]
I was thinking the same thing.

[Mt. Crushmore]

[quote name='flynismo' timestamp='1313823709' post='757599']
He was a safety in college; we converted him to CB, but he's too small at this level.
[/quote]
Exactly what I said last night.
Kiper did compare him to Bob Sanders on draft day though.

[TDubbs]

I think when the unfortunate day that Ed Reed retires Webb could be a candidate to fill his FS spot. By then he will be a bit bigger, faster, stronger, smarter. Hopefully at that time Jimmy Smith will be the shutdown corner... guys like Cary Williams, Chykie Brown and whoever else can play cornr.

[Militant X 1]

webb use to play safety. may need to go back to that but he needs more size.

~Mili

[The Raven]

He's too small, and his tackling is a little to inconsistent for my liking. I want to have a comfort level with my safeties. I'd like for my safeties to, you know, be safe. And Webb is too inconsistent. Does he have the skill set and athleticism for it? For the most part, yes. But he would need at least 20 more pounds, and to be a more consistent tackler. Regardless... he's staying at CB. He's a solid nickel/dime.

[reediddy]

I don't know if I'm confident having him on the field as a CB after that Antonio Brown play *cringe*

I doubt he will be moved though

[BloodRaven]

[quote name='Corvus Amplus' timestamp='1313846839' post='757726']
Here are some attributes of some of the safeties around Lardarius Webb's size.

Lardarius Webb: 5'10" 179 lbs 4.46s

Brandon Meriweather: 5'11" 200 lbs 4.49s
Patrick Chung: 5'11" 212lbs 4.49s
T.J. Ward: 5'10" 211lbs 4.54s
Jairus Byrd: 5'10" 200lbs 4.60s
Earl Thomas 5'10" 202 lbs 4.44s
[/quote]

20+ lb is a big difference.

[stan]

I also expected Web to come in solid for preseason. He may be relying too much on his athleticism and less on technique. A few times he got beat he was supposed to have help over the top. I thought Web lacked speed when we drafted him. Looked it up and his time in the combine was 4.46 in the 40. Not elite speed but good enough with good technique. Web is way too light for safety. Sanders is 200+ lbs.

[lowrider]

[quote name='BloodRaven' timestamp='1313926441' post='758775']

20+ lb is a big difference.
[/quote]
Especially 20+ lbs of muscle. I like Webb, but because of his lack of size he struggles with coverage sometimes. He will be a good depth guy and special teamer for us

[colljb9]

has anyone thought about maybe looking at chykie brown at safety? We seem very deep at corner and i believe webb and carr can be good slot corners with webb being the blitzer and jimmy and cary on the outside. I mean at 6 feet and 190, give this kid a year in the nfl and he can likely get up to around 210. he runs around a 4.45 40 time and has the ability to cover but the big knock on him was are his hips loose enough to turn with elite speed wide recievers. Hes not afraid to tackle and i feel like with seemingly fixing our pass rush internally, we could also possibly have found an eventual replacement for reed with another outstanding 5th round find by ozzie. Just a thought