NFL Trade Machine: Lardarius Webb To Jacksonville
By Erik Lambert
Nov 17, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb (21) in the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Clearing cap space is something Baltimore Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome has been hard at work doing the past few weeks since free agency began. His biggest move of course was sending star defensive lineman Haloti Ngata to Detroit for draft picks via NFL trade. It was a big help but the Ravens still only have $8.8 million at their disposal. They could really use more flexibility.
So it’s little wonder cornerback Lardarius Webb thought he was next on the chopping block (via Twitter).
"“My heart just dropped. Like, ‘am I next?’ … That’s how I felt. Man, if Haloti’s gone, I know I’m not here.”"
One can understand why. Webb had an bad year in 2014. While he was effective against the run like always, he struggled a lot in coverage. Combine that with his large $12 million cap figure for 2015 and there is still a very real possibility he gets dealt. It’s merely a matter of finding a team that will take him.
Among those that have the space available and the need at corner is the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s doubtful more than a mid round pick would be needed to get him too.
Benefits To Baltimore
As stated above it’s less about the pick than it gaining significantly more financial flexibility. By shipping Webb out the Ravens would suddenly have over $20 million in cap space, enough to make some tweaks to the roster through free agency with enough left over for their upcoming draft class. As for the pick, Ozzie Newsome did keep his job for so long by being bad in later rounds.
Benefits To Jacksonville
For the Jaguars, they have over $31 million in cap space left so this trade isn’t some sort of death blow to their salary structure. The payoff is what Webb brings. Not only is he still just 29-years old and an accomplished cornerback, he also brings much needed experience to a secondary that is desperately needing it. If Jacksonville wants to take that next step, then a seasoned playoff veteran like Webb is what they need.