Lardarius Webb

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith recently chatted with Mark Kriegel of FOX Sports, who asked the 2011 first-round pick about the draft process, how he stacked up against his peers, what Ray Lewis said to him over the weekend and which number he plans on wearing in Baltimore. One thing we’ve learned about the Ravens’ newest cornerback is that he has plenty of confidence. Smith thinks he is the best cornerback in this class , ahead of Patrick Peterson, who went fifth overall to the Cardinals, and Prince Amukamara, who went 19th to the Giants.

The host of honor took the microphone, thanked the adults in the crowd and provided a few words of wisdom for the kids. And before he was finished, Ray Rice left little doubt where his focus will be once the Ravens' 2012 season begins.   “I'm going to do my job and bring a Super Bowl back to Baltimore,” Rice proclaimed. The Ravens' fifth-year running back welcomed nearly 700 kids today at Ray Rice Day, an annual football clinic that he started in his hometown of New Rochelle, N.Y.  Aided by several of his Ravens' teammates and members of the Towson University football team, Rice moved from station-to-station at Calvert Hall, teaching fundamentals, like the correct way to carry the ball to lower the risk of fumbling, and urging kids to have fun and do things the right way. The on-line registration for the event, which was free for children ages seven to 14, filled up in less than a minute.

Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb, who was wearing a walking boot on his left foot, is “feeling better,” but he isn't sure if his injured toe will prevent him from suiting up Sunday night against the San Diego Chargers. Webb, who is wearing the boot as a precautionary measure, is the third Ravens player to have turf toe in 2011 (Ray Lewis and Ben Grubbs are the others). He is hopeful that unlike those two, he won't miss any games. “I hope not. I'm doing everything I can do to get back on the field,” Webb said Wednesday.

In a span of a couple of hours last night, the Ravens signed a wide receiver/return specialist, reached a contract extension with a veteran safety, agreed to terms with three of their draft picks and learned that their star pass rusher had successful surgery to repair a torn Achilles' tendon. It was a lot to digest so here's a summary and an attempt at explaining what it all means: News item : Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs has his torn Achilles' tendon repaired during a surgical procedure done by noted foot/ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C. What it means : While acknowledging that the surgery was a success, the Ravens revealed little else.

Cornerback Lardarius Webb reached an agreement on a five-year, $50-million extension with the Ravens five days ago and officially signed his contract last Friday so the reality has long set in. He knows that his financial future is now secure, and the new deal will bring increased pressure off the field. But he also knows that his new contract, which includes a $10-million signing bonus, doesn't change a thing about his goals and aspirations on the field.    “There are plenty of things that I can do better,” Webb said today in a phone interview with The Sun . “I can be an All Pro. I can make the Pro Bowl.

Talented young cornerbacks are at a premium in what has become a pass-happy NFL, but the Ravens feel like they have three of them. And Thursday, they made sure their most accomplished cover man will stay in a Ravens uniform for a long time. Fulfilling one of their offseason priorities, the Ravens reached agreement on a six-year, $50 million deal with Lardarius Webb, who emerged as a shutdown cornerback during the team's run to the AFC championship game last season. Webb, 26, will be in Baltimore next week to take a physical and sign the contract, which includes a $10 million signing bonus and $20 million guaranteed.

For a playoff game lost with three wrenching third-quarter turnovers by the offense, Lardarius Webb took an inordinate amount of blame in January. The third-year Ravens cornerback hasn't forgotten. When he turned up at McDaniel College Saturday as a guest instructor for Derrick Mason's Sports International football camp, the chip on Webb's shoulder was unmistakable despite the broad smile on his face. "It's over. It happened. I don't care about all that," Webb said as he sat through the lunch break signing autographs for fans young and old. "That wasn't the play that lost the game.

It was surprising that the Ravens agreed to a contract extension with cornerback Lardarius Webb without first signing running back Ray Rice or quarterback Joe Flacco, but it was a good move by the team. During negotiations with star players, there are times when teams say, "Take the money now, or we move on to our next priority and sign him. " That might not be the case in this situation, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if it was. With Webb and second year cornerback Jimmy Smith under contract, the Ravens have two potential shut down cornerbacks while most teams in the NFL don't have one. Webb is just starting to enter his peak years, and Smith could become one of the better cornerbacks in the league.

As Lardarius Webb prepares for what might be his first career NFL start before a prime-time audience, the Ravens rookie cornerback feels as if he doesn't have to prove anything. "It's not about me, man. I'm just out there trying to fill in a void. I just want to prove that we're a great defense and that we can play against the best." That kind of humility has endeared Webb, a 23-year-old rookie from Opelika, Ala., to his teammates and coaches - all of whom insist that Webb won't be awed by the bright lights associated with playing against the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.

Four games into the season, first-round draft pick Jimmy Smith hasn't played a down at cornerback, but the Ravens' depleted secondary has, with one notable exception in Tennessee, weathered the early passing storm. With diminishing numbers in the back end Sunday against the Jets, cornerback Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams delivered a number of big plays behind the Ravens' relentless pass rush. On a night when the secondary was reduced to five functioning bodies, it was a sign of growth by both players.

The Ravens don't play their first preseason game until three months from now, and veteran players aren't obligated to be in Baltimore until a mandatory minicamp next month. But that hasn't stopped many of the players from taking an active role in the community during their downtime this offseason. Matt Birk's charity event on Monday night was a great example. Birk hosted his third annual Ravens celebrity servers dinner at Morton's downtown. He and several of his teammates served drinks and dinner to guests and signed autographs.

When the Ravens selected Gino Gradkowski, an interior lineman from Delaware, in last month's NFL draft, their intention was to groom him to eventually become the successor to Matt Birk. Gradkowski, a fourth-round pick, has said that he is eager to pick the veteran center's brain. And on Monday night, Birk said he would gladly teach Gradkowski whatever he wants to learn. “I'm very much looking forward to working with him,” Birk said. “I remember my first year in the league and second year in the league, the other guys -- and they didn't have to -- looked out for me, took time to teach me and watch me and tell me what they saw. It's great because the coaches do a great job coaching, but to get a player's perspective as well, it's helpful.” When Birk was a newcomer with the Minnesota Vikings, veteran linemen such as Randall McDaniel, Jeff Christy, and Korey Stringer made a “huge” impact on his development as a player.

After a season in which he emerged as one of the Ravens' most pleasant surprises, cornerback Cary Williams has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender. The tender carries a $1.927 million salary for the 2012 season. Williams is the last Ravens' restricted free agent to have his contract situation settled. The Ravens reached an agreement with cornerback Lardarius Webb on a five-year, $50 million deal and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe signed his second-round tender last month.  The Ravens have explored a long-term contract extension with Williams, but there doesn't appear to be anything imminent on that front and the 27-year-old is focused on making a healthy return from February hip surgery to repair a torn labrum.

Joe Flacco can throw. Ray Rice can run. But can either of them balance a tray heavy with hot steaks? Or keep a diner's water glass full? Or recommend a wine? Ravens fans will have a chance to find out Monday, when some of the team's stars will wait tables for charity. It's for Matt Birk's 3rd annual Celebrity Server Night and will happen at 7 p.m. at Morton's The Steakhouse.   Other Ravens expected to don aprons include Michael McCrary, Spencer Folau, Brad Jackson, Michael Oher, Marshal Yanda, Torrey Smith, Lardarius Webb and Paul Kruger.  We hear that there might also be some last-minute special guest stars.

For the first time in a decade, the Ravens last weekend drafted three players from college football programs that were below the Division I FBS (formerly I-A) level. As Ravens director of player personnel Eric DeCosta put it, the Ravens “had to manufacture some runs this year” because the team's draft board was similar to those of the NFL's 31 other teams and 147 of their top 150 players were selected. But Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome also said the team's selection of Delaware center/guard Gino Gradkowski, South Carolina State safety Christian Thompson and Cal Poly cornerback Asa Jackson was reflective of the organization placing more of an emphasis on scouting smaller schools for talent.

Earlier this month, Ravens director of player personnel Eric DeCosta described the theme of this weekend's NFL draft as a "depth draft for the Ravens at virtually every position. " And to round out a roster that team officials feel can be molded into another Super Bowl contender, the Ravens spent Saturday's final day of the draft diving deep into the collegiate talent pool. The final four rounds of the Ravens' 2012 draft were highlighted by the selection of a trio of small-school prospects who filled secondary needs.

Jimmy Smith's third start of his NFL career was an uneasy one. The Ravens rookie cornerback was tested early and often by the San Diego Chargers in Sunday night's contest at Snapdragon Stadium, which included surrendering a 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Malcom Floyd . Confident as always, Smith appeared unshaken. "I've been beat before," he said. "It happens. It's football. I know what happened. It was double moves I got beat on. " Making the start for Lardarius Webb , Smith, the organization's first-round pick in April, was targeted three times by Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers on San Diego's first possession of the game.

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith strolled into the locker room this week looking like a man without a concern in the world, right up until the second he realized a reporter was standing in front of his locker, notebook in hand. Smith leaned his head back, sized up his inquisitor, and raised his eyebrows with skepticism. "Ah man, don't tell me you're waiting to talk to me," he said. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air for a few seconds, before Smith smiled to reveal he was joking.

With the 169th pick in the NFL draft (fifth round), the Ravens selected Cal Poly cornerback Asa Jackson. The pick continues a Day Three trend of the Ravens selecting small-school players. In the fourth round, the Ravens took Delaware guard Gino Gradkowski and South Carolina State free safety Christian Thompson. Jackson, who is 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, will join Baltimore's stable of young cornerbacks that includes Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, and Cary Williams. He made eight interceptions during his Cal Poly career.

The Ravens almost pulled off an upset and landed two of their coveted players in the second round, but instead had to settle for one, Alabama outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw. After taking Upshaw with the No. 35 overall pick in the second round, the Ravens then selected Iowa State offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele 25 picks later. Upshaw was rated as one of the best pass rushers in college football. Osemele has a huge upside, but has a downside to match. Osemele's selection came five picks after the Atlanta Falcons selected Wisconsin center Peter Konz, a player many of the experts thought the Ravens would draft on the first day before they traded out of the first round.