It’s now official. On Tuesday, the Ravens placed star left tackle Ronnie Stanley on injured reserve. The surgery to repair his severe ankle injury will cost him the remainder of the year. 
It’s a brutal blow for a team that has relied heavily on Stanley to protect quarterback Lamar Jackson and keep the offense humming along. Up until the injury, Stanley was remarkable durable, and lucky. Between 2017 and 2019, Stanley started at least 14 games. Fortunately, he won’t have to worry about his financial security, thanks to his newly-inked five-year, $99MM deal.
Stanley was outstanding last season, earning First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. Without him, the Ravens will turn to 2018 third-rounder Orlando Brown Jr., who is shifting from the right side to the left. Versatile veteran D.J. Fluker, meanwhile, is expected to man the RT spot.
In related news, the Ravens also placed rookie offensive lineman Tyre Phillips on IR with a hand injury. The issue kept Phillips out of the team’s Week 9 game and it’s not clear whether he’ll be able to return later this year. At minimum, he’ll be out for the next three games against the Colts, Patriots, and Titans.
Same dude just signed a $98M extension. Cool, cool, cool