Tag: Mark Webb Chargers

Mark Webb raising eyebrows early on at Chargers training camp

The second-year safety has been impressive early on.

With rookies Deane Leonard, Ja’Sir Taylor, and JT Woods having solid camps this offseason, it’s been easy to forget about some of the other young players in the Chargers secondary. On Friday, 2021 seventh-rounder Mark Webb made sure fans headed into the weekend with him on their minds.

Webb worked with the first team defense as the money backer on Friday, a reserved role for Derwin James, who continues to sit out while the team negotiates a contract extension. Brandon Staley also said post-practice that Webb is training at both traditional safety and star (nickel corner) in addition to his money (hybrid linebacker-safety) responsibilities.

A player the coaching staff has consistently mentioned as someone they’re high on, Webb’s training camp resurgence is a positive sign after missing nine games due to a knee injury in 2021. Staley praised the second-year pro’s football intelligence in his media availability, an evident trait considering Webb’s interception and numerous instances of tight coverage in the team period.

Staley pointed out that Webb likely would have played a lot of football for the Chargers later in the season in 2021 had he not been injured. Moving up to the first team defense, albeit in name only with James on the bench, is a good sign that he’ll be playing much more in 2022. However, Webb will have to carry this momentum through to next week, when pads come on. When asked, Staley singled out his need to improve in that area.

Carrying his early performance through the tackling portions of camp while working at three different positions could result in a breakout season for Webb. It’s also a blessing of an insurance policy if a starter goes down, as was the case far too often a season ago.

Chargers excited about Mark Webb’s potential in Year 2

A knee injury kept Mark Webb from seeing the field more in 2021.

The Chargers will have some new members in the secondary, but a few familiar faces will also be vying to make contributions in 2022. Among them is second-year Mark Webb.

Drafted in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft, Webb appeared in seven games. Two of them were on defense, including Week 3 against the Chiefs when Derwin James missed the second half with a shoulder injury.

While his playing time was limited, Webb was on his way to seeing the field more frequently, but a knee injury that landed him on the injured reserve stopped that from coming to fruition.

Webb is still rehabbing his injury and has been out of the team’s organized team activities (OTAs) up to this point, but the plan is for him to be ready for training camp.

“He’s going to add a lot of competition in the secondary, we’re expecting a lot from him,” Brandon Staley said. “He’s a guy that was on the verge of playing a lot of football for us and then he had the injury. We’re hopeful for him, and I’m excited to see him compete.”

With Webb’s return, he will supply safety depth along with rookie JT Woods and Alohi Gilman behind James and Nasir Adderley.

Should he stay healthy, Webb has the skillset to play both in the slot (Star) and a sub-package safety-linebacker hybrid role (Money).

Chargers’ Mark Webb continues to impress at training camp

The Chargers seventh round pick is performing at a high level.

Normally seventh round picks face an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, but for Chargers safety Mark Webb he is on track to defy the odds.

In the first week, Webb amassed the team’s first interception of training camp. Since then, it’s been all gas, no breaks for the former Georgia product.

On Monday, Webb continued his dominance by breaking up a few passes and notching another interception that he took back to the house.

Armed with a physical brand of football, coverage skills and high football IQ, Webb has demonstrated that he is capable of making an impact not only on special teams but the backend of the defense early on in his career.

Up to this point, Webb’s position versatility has been put to use as he has been playing at safety, Star and Money so far, primarily with the second and third team defense.

“He’s going to have to be a big factor for us on special teams. On defense we’re hoping to have that versatility be a strength of his so we can put him where we need him,” head coach Brandon Staley said about Webb.

Under Staley’s watch, he helped turned Rams’ 2020 sixth-round pick Jordan Fuller into a solid starter in his rookie season. Don’t be surprised if Webb is next in line to get the same treatment.

Why Mark Webb could be late round gem for Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers could have another stud in their secondary.

With the 2021 NFL draft officially over, everybody has turned their attention to how the top draft picks project in the NFL, but there are those overlooked players that wind up going in the fifth, sixth or seventh-round that turn out to be diamonds in the rough.

For the Chargers, this year’s haul brought a handful of promising players, but the one who has a chance to contribute in a big way, outplay his draft slot and be the notorious late-round gem is seventh-round pick Mark Webb.

Addressing the safety position was seen as a priority in the draft. Instead of handling it early on, Los Angeles held off until their last selection to add Webb to join Derwin James, Nasir Adderley and Alohi Gilman in a rather thin group.

A wide receiver convert, Webb was a key piece of the Bulldog’s defense. Over four seasons, he tallied up 74 tackles, eight pass deflections, a forced fumble and an interception.

The former Georgia product then proceeded to shine at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, which is where he caught the attention of the Chargers’ scouts, looking sharp in the practices and finishing the game with five tackles.

That wasn’t the end of Webb’s pre-draft exposure.

At his pro day, Webb had an 11-foot-4 broad jump which was just two inches shy of the mark Jeremy Chinn set for defensive backs at last year’s NFL Scouting Combine, and his 36.5-inch vertical jump and 80-inch wingspan raised eyebrows.

“Of all the DBs, Mark Webb looked the most fluid,” said Jim Nagy, the Executive Director of the Senior Bowl. “Mark really helped himself out.”

Where sound play in the secondary is necessary in head coach Brandon Staley’s defense, Webb has the skillset to be a guy that can be relied upon as early as his rookie season.

Versatility is a necessity and Webb possesses that, having experience at corner, safety, and nickel. Has was primarily at the Star position, a staple in Staley’s defense, which is an overhang player aligned on a slot receiver.

At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Webb has outstanding length and size, which is used when attacking slot receivers and tight ends. When playing in off coverage, he is effective jamming slots on route breaks.

Webb shows solid mirror ability in man coverage by staying low and showing agility and footwork to stick. He has the eye discipline and instincts to focus on route concepts and cut off throwing lanes.

Webb has enough speed to carry vertical routes and the physicality to contest pass-catchers. He is physical in run support, stunning and separating from blocks, and he tackles well in space, breaking down and driving through tackles.

While he will need to work on the finer points at the next level, having only played the position since 2017, Webb will be playing under Staley, who has seen success with the players he’s developed, including Rams’ 2020 sixth-round pick, Jordan Fuller, who went on to be the team’s starting free safety.

Webb’s physical mentality and tackling ability make him a special teams ace from Day 1, but don’t be surprised to see him make an impact on defense early on in his career.

His versatility, athleticism and traits in coverage and against the run will serve him well on defense, whether that be in the deep parts of the fields, as a dimebacker or lined up in the slot.

“I’m going to be versatile,” Webb said, “and whatever you want me to play, I’ll play there.”