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Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh said he expects cornerback Lardarius Webb to return early this season, but he’s not sure if it will be in time for Monday night’s season-opener versus the Jets.
“We’re not going to rule him out for Monday night, but I’m not anticipating him either,” Harbaugh said on his weekly John Harbaugh Show, which debuted last night on WBAL Plus and Comcast. “I think either way it could go and [he'll return] shortly thereafter.”
Webb, who is recovering from knee surgery, has been practicing with the Ravens since Aug. 23. He said he has played with the defense and served on the scout team this week.
The second-year cornerback has not participated in any live contact drills, however, and did not play in any of Baltimore’s preseason games. Webb will have to wait until his first game to participate in a live drill because the Ravens don’t use those drills now that they’re in the regular season.
“I’m comfortable with whatever Coach has for me,” Webb said. “If he wants me to get out there and test it [Monday night], I will. If he don’t, then I won’t. It all depends on how this week goes.
“My confidence keeps rising and rising and it keeps getting better and better. … I’m easing my way into the banging. I’m just pressing and working on my technique.”
Harbaugh did feel like Webb is a player that could mentally return Week 1 despite not playing in a game since Dec. 20.
“He’s been a part of everything we’ve done, and he’s been out there in all the mental drills,” Harbaugh said. “It’ll just be a matter of how the doctors and he feel like the knee can hold up, and how effective he can really be. So, we’ll just have to see.”
The rest of the Ravens’ weekly programming on Comcast and WBAL Plus kicks off this week. Game Plan will air tonight, Ravens Report is on Thursday and Purple Passion comes Friday. Find programming details here.
