The Ravens have sent a lot of what was termed leadership out the door this offseason.
But cornerback Lardarius Webb said their locker room was strong enough to help reel in linebacker Rolando McClain, and can do for him what the Raiders could not.
The Ravens picked up McClain on a low-risk deal after the Raiders cut bait on the former No. 8 overall pick. And Webb, who was born and raised in Alabama, thinks McClain’s found the right atmosphere.
“I’m a Roll Tide fan, so I know exactly who Rolando is and what he’s about,” Webb said, via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “Once he gets into our locker room and we lead by example and show him how we do things, it will be a great thing for him. He’s a young man and he has so far to grow.
“Not taking nothing away from Oakland, I know the organization we have and the people we have in our locker room, it’s going to be a great fit for him. We’re ready to get him in and show him what we do.”
McClain has vowed to be a changed man, but he’s reached the point after arrests and suspensions that his words carry far less meaning than his actions.
But the veteran corner thinks he can help. When Webb joined the team, he leaned on players such as Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. Those guys are gone now, so he’s ready to step into that kind of role.
“I’ve been here for four years with Ed, and we don’t even really talk football all the time,” Webb said. “Everything I could get from him, I’ve already got it. I looked. I paid attention. I watched him. I watched great leaders like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. They show you how to do it. I’m going to do all of my part to help this team win.”
Webb said his recovery from a torn ACL is going well, and his return is key to rebuilding a defense that got old all at once.
But if he can get in and help rehab the reputation of a talented player with a history of off-field problems, that could help the Ravens as well.
