ABERDEEN, Md. -- At Lardarius Webb's charity softball game, the Baltimore Ravens' offense routed the defense, 9-1, behind Steve Smith Sr.'s base-running, Ryan Jensen's glove in the field and Justin Tucker's hidden-ball trick.
The true winner, however, was Webb.
In an offseason in which he accepted a reduced role and salary to return, Webb brought together 40-some former and current Ravens with a nearly capacity crowd at Ripken Stadium on Sunday for a foundation that supports the United Way of Central Maryland.
"I felt like I wasn’t done here in Baltimore on the football field and also in the community," Webb said. "I feel like there was a lot of guys in the locker room and in the defensive back room that needed me here to help them grow."
No one on the field has shown a commitment to the Ravens more than Webb. In 2015, he took a $2 million pay cut. Last season, he agreed to switch to safety.
This offseason, Webb had to agree to both a pay reduction and lesser role to come back for his ninth season in Baltimore. After getting cut in March, he re-signed essentially for $3.4 million less this season and a backup job behind Tony Jefferson, a top priority in free agency for Baltimore.
This is the first time since 2010 that Webb isn't a full-time starter.
"It feels like a different situation," Webb said. "I’ve always been a starter, but bringing Tony Jefferson in is going to make our ball team a much better squad. The locker room loves him. He brings energy to our defense. We want to be the best defense in the league, so bring in all the guys you can to make us be the best defense in the league. I’ll find my spot, I’ll find my way."
When the Ravens signed Jefferson to a four-year, $34 million deal this year, Jefferson also took No. 21 after Webb was released. In what could've been an awkward situation, Jefferson gave back Webb his number when he returned to the team in April.
"Lardarius is a great dude, man," Jefferson said. "He understands everything. He’s been in the league a long time. It’s been a good time being with the guys, kind of me being a new guy. It’s been very welcoming."
On Sunday, Jefferson and nearly half of the team came out for Webb's event. Smith came back to his former team and showed off his speed on the base paths. Jensen, a 311-pound center, looked extremely agile with several snags at shortstop. And Tucker, who was playing first base, picked off rookie safety Daniel Henry by acting like he threw the ball away but he actually kept it in his glove.
The best play was linebacker Lamar Louis running through the right field wall to make a catch. The biggest ovation, though, came for Webb when he struck his Spiderman pose during player introductions.
"I’m glad I was able to come back so I can still be a part of this," Webb said. "This is something I did not want to take from Baltimore. It will always be here. It’s awesome, man."