Ronnie Stanley

Ronnie Stanley Addresses Decision To Re-Sign With Ravens

March 17th, 2025 at 3:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

After agreeing to a pay cut last offseason, Ronnie Stanley delivered a strong campaign and set himself up for a healthy free agent market. The Pro Bowl left tackle wound up re-signing with the Ravens before the start of the league year, however, a move he spoke about on Monday.

“I was going to give Baltimore the best bargain that I would offer to any other team,” Stanley said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). “That being said, I wanted to be happy with what I’m making and make sure I’m getting the value that I deserve.”

The former No. 6 pick has spent his entire career in Baltimore, and his tenure is set to continue on a three-year, $60MM pact. $44MM of that total is guaranteed and will be paid out across the 2025 and ’26 seasons, a notable amount and one not far from the top of the left tackle market. Stanley could very well have landed a more lucrative deal with an outside suitor given the nature of the free agent class, but he added he never reached the point of seriously considering such a move (h/t Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).

Stanley inked a five-year, $98.75MM extension in 2020, but ankle and knee injuries kept him sidelined for extended stretches while playing out that pact. The Notre Dame product played only six games in 2020 and one the following year. Questions related to his durability remained after he missed another 10 contests from 2022-23. As this past campaign showed, though, the former All-Pro is still capable of playing at a high level when on the field. Team and player will hope his fully healthy campaign in 2024 will be repeated moving forward.

Baltimore selected Roger Rosengarten in the second round of last year’s draft as a potential Stanley successor in the future. He wound up operating as the Ravens’ right tackle starter last year, and that setup is in place to continue for the time being. If the Ravens are to duplicate last year’s success on offense (No. 1 yards, No. 3 in scoring), Stanley – who turns 31 tomorrow – will no doubt play a key role up front.

Many of the remaining O-line dominoes around the league have fallen during the opening days of free agency, although a number of teams still face questions at the position right now. Stanley would have addressed the blindside for a team prepared to make a sizable offer, but his comments confirm such a scenario was never in the cards.

OL Notes: Becton, Texans, Smith, Jags, Rams

March 13th, 2025 at 12:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles‘ Mekhi Becton signing proved to be a highly effective one. The former Jets tackle was able to have success upon moving inside, and he helped his market after playing on a $2.75MM ‘prove it’ contract in 2024.

Becton’s preference would be to remain in Philadelphia, but he is of course an attractive option to teams eyeing upgrades up front. PFR’s No. 22 free agent in 2025 could look to capitalize on the strength of the guard market, which saw the likes of Robert Hunt, Jonah Jackson, Kevin Dotson, Damien Lewis and Jon Runyan Jr sign deals averaging eight figures per year in free agency. Becton will likely not be able to match many of their earnings, but an Eagles departure could still be looming.

ESPN’s Tim McManus reports there has not been tangible progress between team and player to work out a re-signing in this case. Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is among those who would like to see Becton, entering his age-26 season, brought back. As the Eagles move forward with a line already featuring four lucrative deals, though, keeping him in place may not be possible.

Here are some offensive line notes from around the league:

The Eagles, of course, have a deal in place to add a guard in the form of Kenyon Green. The former Texans first-rounder is one of three O-linemen the team is moving on from as part of its offseason plans. Veteran Shaq Mason was recently released, while left tackle Laremy Tunsil is on his way to the Commanders. The offensive line group increasingly became a problem in Houston last season, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated writes. Tunsil is respected in the organization, Breer adds, but making sweeping changes up front this offseason allowed the Texans to avoid a third lucrative commitment to the 30-year-old. Houston will look for a noticeably different combination and a new culture along the O-line in 2025.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard said at the Combine right tackle Braden Smith intended to continue playing in 2025. That will indeed be the case, with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting an agreement has been reached on a restructured contract. The pact will pay out a $2MM roster bonus next week in addition to a $3.96MM base salary, per Over the Cap. Smith, 29 later this month, has served as a full-time starter since his arrival in 2018 but he missed the last five games of the 2024 campaign due to an undisclosed personal matter. He will still be a free agent next spring as things stand, but Smith’s return (at a cap charge of $10.4MM) will be welcomed on a Colts O-line which is set to lose Ryan Kelly and Will Fries after they both agreed to Vikings deals this week.
The Ravens managed to take care of one of their most important offseason priorities with the re-signing of left tackle Ronnie Stanley. That three-year, $60MM deal features $44MM in guarantees. The latter figure includes a $20.25MM signing bonus, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 details. Stanley has dealt with several injuries in his career, but this latest pact guarantees $22MM in pay for 2025 and ’26, according to Over the Cap. The two-time Pro Bowler is also scheduled to collect a $4.04MM option bonus next March.
Prior to the Stanley deal, Alaric Jackson agreed to a three-year pact to remain with the Rams. The deal can reach a maximum value of $60.75MM and includes $35.43MM in guarantees, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap writes. $30MM is fully guaranteed at signing, with most of Jackson’s compensation over the next two years locked in. $1.45MM in per-game roster bonuses are present in every year of the deal, and a $5.43MM injury guarantee will shift to a full one if he is on the roster on the fifth day of the 2026 league year.
Patrick Mekari parlayed his Ravens tenure into a three-year Jaguars contract at the outset of the negotiating period. That pact features $22.5MM in guarantees, including a $10MM signing bonus, per Wilson. The former UDFA has $10.5MM in 2026 salary locked in for injury, and remaining on the roster early in the 2026 league year will lead to further guarantees. Per-game roster bonuses totaling nearly $30K along with a $500K Pro Bowl incentive are present in every year of the deal.

Ravens To Re-Sign LT Ronnie Stanley

March 8th, 2025 at 11:25pm CST by Ely Allen

It looks like Ronnie Stanley‘s time in Baltimore is not over quite yet. Surprisingly, the Ravens were the first to announce the deal on X. Diana Russini of The Athletic quickly followed to inform us that Stanley is signing a three-year, $60MM extension with $44MM guaranteed at signing. Stanley was the fourth-ranked player on our list of the Top 50 Free Agents in 2025.

Returning Stanley to the fold is huge for the Ravens, as this is not the year to be wanting for a left tackle. In free agency, after Stanley, the top options at left tackle are now Dan Moore, Cam Robinson, and an aging Tyron Smith, who has been reportedly mulling retirement. In the draft, a concern has been raised about needing tackles as many of the graduating tackles in the draft have been seen as better fits for the interior line by many evaluators.

Another reason this is huge for Baltimore is that it helps them to avoid doing a full offseason overhaul of their offensive line for the second year in a row. Last year, the team went to work in the offseason in order to replace both starting guards (John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler) and their starting right tackle Morgan Moses.

They attempted to fill the guard spots with Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees, with their sixth-man of the offensive line Patrick Mekari filling in at right tackle. When Vorhees struggled, they shifted Mekari into the left guard spot and started rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten at right tackle for the rest of the season. Mekari is still currently on track for free agency, but the team has shown how much they value his versatility in the past. Even if he does leave, filling an interior lineman spot will be a much less Herculean task than if they had let Stanley walk.

This isn’t the first time the Ravens have extended Stanley, and they are likely praying that this time goes much smoother. After picking up Stanley’s fifth-year option back in 2019, the team made Stanley the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL following an All-Pro season in which Pro Football Focus graded him the second-best tackle in the league and named him the best pass blocking tackle in the NFL. The five-year, $112.8MM extension came partway through the 2020 season.

Two days later, Stanley was carted off the field with a season-ending ankle injury. The next season, after playing in the season-opener, Stanley was once again placed on injured reserve after undergoing season-ending ankle surgery. He wouldn’t return until Week 5 of the 2022 season, after having missed 29 of the 30 games since he signed his extension. After shaky seasons in 2022 and 2023, Stanley started every game last year, making his first Pro Bowl appearance since that All-Pro season in 2019.

Knowing this injury history and seeing as how Stanley is set to turn 31 before the 2025 season, Baltimore was reportedly hesitant to get to $20MM per year, according to Russini’s colleague Jeff Zrebiec. But seeing the other options, and the likely overpayment that is sure to occur for those secondary options, the Ravens will likely feel pretty good about the price they paid for their tried-and-true blindside blocker, especially as the negotiating period starting Monday was sure to bring in much higher offers. Stanley’s pact will see $44MM paid out over the first two years, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, those other options, namely Moore and Robinson, could both command up to $15MM per year in the open market now. For tackles that PFF (subscription required) graded out as the 42nd- and 53rd-best tackles in the league, respectively, that’s a steep price to pay.

Stanley was reportedly drawing significant interest from the Patriots, Chiefs, and Commanders. With the Ravens keeping Stanley off the open market, New England, Kansas City, and Washington will likely be duking it out for the Moore, Robinson, and perhaps Jaylon Moore, who’s started 12 games for the 49ers in the four years of his rookie deal.

With Stanley putting pen to paper, the Ravens have officially checked off perhaps the biggest task on their to-do list for the offseason. Key free agents like Mekari, fullback Patrick Ricard, and cornerbacks Brandon Stephens and Tre’Davious White are set to hit the open market soon, and the team still would like to improve at the cornerback, pass rusher, and interior offensive line positions. With free agency and the draft looming, the Ravens are set up well to make a push next season in an effort to get Lamar Jackson that elusive Super Bowl with his blindside tackle beside him.

No Deal Imminent Between Ravens, Ronnie Stanley; Latest On LT’s Market

March 3rd, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Adam La Rose

The pending free agent class amongst offensive linemen has been thinned in recent days. The Chiefs have used the franchise tag on guard Trey Smith, while the Rams prevented left tackle Alaric Jackson from hitting the market by agreeing to a lucrative new pact.

With the latter no longer available, the remaining blindside blockers will increasingly become the center of attention in the coming days. That group includes Ronnie Stanley, who has been known to be a priority for the Ravens in the lead-in to free agency. Stanley has spent his entire nine-year career in Baltimore, and in 2024 he played a full campaign and earned his second Pro Bowl nod.

Uncertainty loomed over the former No. 6 pick’s future entering last season based on his previous missed time due to injuries. Stanley was limited to only seven contests between 2020 and ’21, and he was absent for a combined 10 games across the following two years. After agreeing to a pay cut last offseason, though, he delivered a strong performance for the AFC North winners. A notable market could therefore await Stanley in the event he reached free agency.

When speaking at the Combine last week, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh both expressed confidence that a new deal will be worked out on the Stanley front. In spite of that optimism, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes nothing is imminent at this time (subscription required). The franchise tag would allow the Ravens to prevent Stanley from hitting the market – where teams like the Patriots would be interested – but a decision on that front will need to be made by tomorrow afternoon.

While team and player look to find traction, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler writes there is a sense around the league an agreement can be reached in the near future. He notes an annual average value between $21MM-$23MM has been mentioned; Stanley’s 2020 extension carried an AAV of $19.5MM. The salary cap has over course surged since that deal was signed, and nine left tackles are averaging at least $20MM per season on their current contracts.

Stanley is nearing his 31st birthday, so age and his injury history will be factors which could hinder his earning power. Still, a dearth of high-profile alternatives in the 2025 free agent class – not to mention a comparative lack of surefire prospects in this year’s draft – should help the former first-team All-Pro secure a payday soon. Much of the Ravens’ other offseason moves will hinge on their ability to keep Stanley in place, so a resolution in the near future would be key for the team.

Patriots Targeting Ronnie Stanley, Jamien Sherwood; Team Has “Kicked Tires” On D.K. Metcalf

March 2nd, 2025 at 8:47am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots are known to be targeting additions to the offensive and defensive lines this offseason, and new head coach Mike Vrabel has indicated his club will be active in free agency (after all, New England does have nearly $130MM in cap space, the most in the league by a comfortable margin). To that end, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports the Pats will aggressively pursue Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley should Stanley hit the open market.

Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald also hear that Stanley is one of New England’s top targets. Offensive line play was a major issue for the team in 2024, as the Pats finished 31st in Pro Football Focus’ metrics with respect to pass protection and last in run blocking. Stanley had struggled with injuries in recent years, and even when he was on the field, he did not look like the same player that earned a First Team All-Pro nod in 2019. After being forced to accept a $7.5MM pay cut in advance of the 2024 season, Stanley turned in a terrific platform campaign, landing his second Pro Bowl bid and playing a full complement of games for the first time in his career.

Naturally, the Ravens want Stanley back and have prioritized a new contract for him. However, the franchise tag is not considered as an option because of how it would hinder a team that is just outside the bottom-10 in cap room and because the $23.4MM tag number for O-linemen would set the floor in negotiations above where Baltimore is willing to go. New England reportedly values Stanley’s leadership and experience in big games in addition to his raw ability, and if Stanley and the Ravens cannot come to terms before the onset of free agency, Vrabel & Co. appear ready to pounce.

If their Stanley pursuit is unsuccessful, Callahan and Kyed say the Patriots are nonetheless comfortable with the Steelers’ Dan Moore or the Vikings’ Cam Robinson – a New England trade target at the 2024 deadline – as fallback plans (the team also had interest in the Rams’ Alaric Jackson before he re-upped with Los Angeles). And, even if they are able to acquire an established OT, the Pats will presumably not be done in their search for better protection for QB Drake Maye and their rushing attack

LSU OT Will Campbell is a real possibility for the Patriots’ No. 4 overall selection in April’s draft, with league evaluators seeing Campbell or Michigan DT Mason Graham as the most likely candidates for the pick. If QB-needy teams select both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders before New England is on the clock, though, the Pats will have the opportunity to take one of the top non-QBs in the 2025 class (Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter).

Of that duo, Hunter is viewed as the more likely to fall to No. 4. As opposed to Carter, Hunter would not address the Pats’ top goal of bolstering their trenches, but beyond OL and DL help, the Boston Herald sees cornerback, wide receiver, and linebacker as the next positions of priority. Regardless of whether New England sees Hunter as a CB or wideout, the two-way blue-chipper would be a major get.

With respect to the linebacker need, the Patriots reportedly “covet” Jets LB Jamien Sherwood, particularly since he exhibits the speed and physicality that Vrabel is hoping to inject into his front seven. The 2021 fifth-rounder was mostly quiet through his first three professional seasons before bursting onto the scene in a big way in his walk year, starting 16 of New York’s 17 games while tallying 158 total tackles – including a league-leading 98 solo stops – and 10 tackles for loss while finishing as PFF’s 18th-best LB. The Jets and Sherwood have mutual interest in an extension, though it appears the Pats are eyeing the situation closely.

As for the WR position, there were several reports connecting the Patriots to Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason. Those reports were published before it became clear Cincinnati was prepared to put the franchise tag on Higgins for a second time. While a tag presumably remains a possibility, Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reports the team has not told Higgins whether he will actually receive the tag before Tuesday’s deadline.

Nonetheless, sources tell Callahan and Kyed that Higgins will not be available (either as an FA or as a trade candidate). Should the Bengals change their mind on that front, the Patriots would be back in the mix, despite some conflicting reports to the contrary.

It has been said that the Patriots would explore trades for a WR, though the Boston Herald believes the team would prefer to address their need for a proven pass-catcher through free agency to avoid surrendering premium draft capital. The Bucs’ Chris Godwin would be a top target if Tampa Bay allows him to test the free agent waters, and on the trade front, the Pats have reportedly “kicked the tires” on the Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf. It is presently unclear if those discussions gained any traction.

Given New England’s areas of need, it is not surprising that Callahan and Kyed – whose piece is well-worth a read for Pats fans in particular given its scope and comprehensiveness – name Eagles DT Milton Williams and 49ers CB Charvarius Ward as several of New England’s other top FA targets.

2025 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 20th, 2025 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Last year’s salary cap spike created another opportunity for teams to retain talent, and once the upcoming cap surge (roughly $25MM) produces a number, the 2020 CBA will have produced four straight single-year jumps by at least $16MM. These climbs, which dwarf the per-year jumps the 2011 CBA brought, have both helped teams retain talent and pay for free agents while also ballooning the costs of franchise tags.

That said, last year featured eight players given the franchise tag and one (Kyle Dugger) receiving the transition tender. Illustrating the cap climb’s impact, eight of those nine players landed extensions. None of them occurred near the July 15 extension deadline for tagged players, leaving only the Bengals and Tee Higgins‘ non-negotiations still outstanding by the time the usually action-packed stretch arrived. Higgins is back among this year’s lot of potential tag recipients, but not as many players join him.

We are now in Year 33 of the franchise tag, a retention tool that came about during the same offseason in which full-fledged free agency spawned. With clubs having until 3pm CT on March 4 to apply tags, here is who may be cuffed:

Likely tag recipients

Tee Higgins, WR (Bengals)
Tag cost: $26.18MM

It never made too much sense for the Bengals to pass on tagging Higgins, who would at least — in the event the team would squash Joe Burrow‘s crusade to retain the veteran Ja’Marr Chase sidekick — fetch draft capital in a trade. A second Higgins tag comes in at 120% of his 2024 tag price ($21.82MM). It would be interesting if the Bengals went from not negotiating with Higgins during his four months on the tag last year — and generally being prepared to move on in 2025 — to circling back and paying him a market-value deal, but that does seem to be in play.

Burrow’s push would see the team having roughly $70MM per year allocated to the receiver position; that would squash where even the Eagles and Dolphins have gone for their high-end wideout duos. Higgins, 26, was unable to market his age-25 season thanks to the tag. If the latest rumors surrounding the former second-round pick are accurate, he would be kept off the open market once again. That is a fairly significant window to miss; then again, he would have banked $48MM during that period.

The Bengals are projected to carry more than $53MM in cap space, making this a solution they can afford. But after extensive negotiations with Chase last year and Burrow stumping for Higgins, the team has an important decision to make soon.

Cincinnati has less than two weeks to give Higgins a long-term deal. It would mark quite the about-face to do so. The organization has not seriously negotiated with the WR since the first half of 2023, and even when talks did commence, no proposal came too close to $20MM per year. Those talks predictably broke down, and Higgins’ new price is believed to be around $30MM. With plenty of suitors awaiting — the cap-rich Patriots among them — that would be doable for the 6-foot-4 target, who is coming off a better season compared to his 2023 showing.

Higgins zoomed back to his usual form by hauling in 73 passes for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns; his 75.9 yards per game trailed only his 2021 number (77.9). Higgins, however, missed five games for a second straight season. Hamstring and quad injuries kept Higgins off the field last year, but his market does not appear to have cooled as a result. At worst, the Bengals could fetch Day 2 draft capital in a trade. A first-round pick may be tougher here due to an acquiring team needing to authorize a pricey extension, but teams have been calling ahead of the past two deadlines. Cincinnati still has options, but its Higgins plans will certainly need to be run by Burrow given how much he has stumped for the team to retain the five-year vet.

On tag radar

Sam Darnold, QB (Vikings)
Projected tag cost: $42.39MM

Rumors have not pointed to a clear-cut plan here. At least, the Vikings’ vision for their would-be bridge QB has not become public. But the sides are still talking. Minnesota saw the formerly underwhelming starter break through at 27, taking advantage of the Vikings’ weaponry and Kevin O’Connell‘s ability to coach up quarterbacks. Darnold earned original-ballot Pro Bowl acclaim, throwing 35 touchdown passes (to 12 INTs) and smashing more career-high marks in yardage (4,319) and completion percentage (66.2). Previously in place to hold down the fort while J.J. McCarthy developed, Darnold saw the rookie’s meniscus tear change his Twin Cities outlook.

McCarthy has undergone two surgeries and may have a long way to go in his rehab. As McCarthy went down before playing a regular-season snap, it would make sense for the Vikings to give strong consideration to cuffing Darnold as a pricey insurance measure. On the other hand, the Vikings have a few key performers set to hit the market soon. Byron Murphy, Camryn Bynum and Aaron Jones are moving toward the market. A Darnold cap hold of more than $40MM would clog Minnesota’s payroll ahead of free agency, though the team is projected to carry $63.3MM in space.

Darnold’s late-season letdown undoubtedly factors into the Vikes’ equation, as $42.39MM can be viewed as a bit steep for a player who did not consistently impress in New York or Carolina. But Darnold has proven he can excel in O’Connell’s system. As we detailed on a recent Trade Rumors Front Office post, a multiyear deal for Darnold would not make as much sense; the team still has high hopes for McCarthy. Unless the Vikings plan to entertain the expected trade calls for last year’s No. 10 overall pick, the only way Darnold would stay would be via the tag.

A tag would not be in Darnold’s best interests, as the soon-to-be 28-year-old passer has rare momentum ahead of an offseason featuring several teams with QB needs. A much-criticized draft class at the position would also benefit Darnold, who has been linked to potentially scoring a Baker Mayfield-like deal (three years, $100MM). With the cap now climbing to around $280MM, the seven-year vet could conceivably aim higher. The Vikings hold the cards here in the meantime, as this represents one of the more interesting tag decisions in several years.

Big markets await otherwise

Jevon Holland, S (Dolphins)
Projected tag cost: $20.13MM

Already cutting Raheem Mostert, Kendall Fuller and Durham Smythe to save space, the Dolphins are not expected to roll out a tag for Holland. This would mark a second straight year the Dolphins will send one of the top free agency-eligible players to the market. Miami let Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt walk in 2024; each lineman signed a top-market deal. Holland would be expected to follow suit, as the former second-round pick has started 57 games and is going into his age-25 season. The Dolphins are projected to hold barely $1MM in cap space, mandating more moves ahead of the 2025 league year.

The British Columbia, Canada, native has five career sacks, five picks and five forced fumbles. This comes along with 25 pass breakups. The past two free agencies have seen one safety check in much higher than his peers contractually, with Jessie Bates (four years, $64MM) and Xavier McKinney (4/67) scoring top-five contracts. The latest cap spike will help Holland, who can aim for the $16MM-AAV Bates tier as a floor.

Although PFF viewed Holland as better under Vic Fangio (third overall) than Anthony Weaver (56th), the months-long Miami extension candidate will still do very well if he hits the market. Extension talks with the Oregon alum did not pick up before last season, and the Dolphins appear close to losing another quality starter early in free agency.

Trey Smith, G (Chiefs)
Projected tag cost: $25.8MM

Over the past 15 years, only two guards have been tagged: Brandon Scherff and Joe Thuney. Washington cuffed Scherff twice, letting him walk in 2022. New England kept Thuney as a placeholder during a busy 2020 on the tag front. Both players scored then-guard-record deals on the open market. Smith is expected to follow suit, as the Chiefs are viewed as unlikely to apply this pricey placeholder on their four-year right guard starter. Despite having attempted to extend Smith for a bit last summer, the former sixth-round find remains unsigned.

Kansas City looks likely to go left tackle shopping, as Thuney proved overmatched in his final fill-in assignment there, and its four-year LG starter is under contract for one more season. The Chiefs’ four-year, $80MM Jawaan Taylor misstep carries an already-guaranteed 2025 base salary ($19.5MM), thanks to the ex-Jaguar RT being on the Chiefs’ roster last March, and the team handed All-Pro Creed Humphrey a deal that easily made him the NFL’s highest-paid center. Losing Smith may be the cost of doing business, unless the three-time defending AFC champions can craft an 11th-hour solution to keep the 25-year-old Pro Bowler via the tag.

Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens)
Projected tag cost: $25.8MM

It is highly unlikely the Ravens use the tag here, as they already gave Stanley a pay cut in 2024. That said, Baltimore wants to work something out with its longtime left tackle. Stanley’s injury history also would make a $25.8MM guarantee lofty, but this also could be a placeholder to ensure he does not leave in free agency. The Ravens lost three O-line starters in 2024, and this is the costliest position up front.

Then again, the Ravens faced a similar situation in 2019, and they let C.J. Mosley walk rather than overpay on the tag. The Ravens have used the tag in each of the past two offseasons, but it was to retain younger players (Lamar Jackson, Nnamdi Madubuike). They currently are projected to carry barely $12MM in cap space. As PFF notes, only six players 28 and older have been tagged over the past five years. No player over 30 has been tagged since the Bengals retained A.J. Green in 2020. Green was 32 that season; Stanley will turn 31 in March.

The Garett Bolles–Dion Dawkins–Taylor Decker tier, as our Nikhil Mehta pointed out, may be the place to watch for Stanley, who reestablished momentum last season after playing 17 games for the first time in his career and making the Pro Bowl. He is in position to command a nice third contract. Will it come from the Ravens? After the tag window closes, Baltimore has until March 10 to negotiate exclusively with the nine-year blocker.

Ravens Re-Signing Stanley Will Be ‘Priority’

February 19th, 2025 at 11:55am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Ronnie Stanley put together the healthiest season of his career in 2024, rebuilding his value after length absences over the previous four seasons just in time to hit free agency.

The Ravens, however, may not let him reach the open market. Re-signing the veteran left tackle will be a “priority” for Baltimore, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. Tagging Stanley is theoretically an option, but such a route would present multiple obstacles for the Ravens.

To start, the team is currently projected to have just under $6MM in 2025 cap space, per OverTheCap. For offensive linemen, the franchise tag is projected to be $25.2MM with a transition tag of $22.7MM. The Ravens can free up the space to absorb a tag, but that would still force them to cut other players and/or push more money into the future.

The Ravens may want to tag Stanley to give themselves more time to reach an agreement on a multi-year contract like they did with Lamar Jackson and Nnamdi Madubuike. However, negotiating with Stanley on the tag would likely set his asking price above what the team is willing to pay. Even with the lower transition tag, Stanley would be set for $22.7MM in fully-guaranteed money in 2025, after which he could hit free agency or be tagged again. A second tag would cost the Ravens $27.4MM in 2026, which could make Stanley’s extension demands reach $50MM over two years, far above his expected value on the open market.

Ultimately, a contract similar to the ones signed by Garett Bolles, Dion Dawkins, and Taylor Decker in 2024 would represent a solid deal for Stanley after he took a pay cut last year. The Ravens could continue their use of void years to prorate money into the future and minimize Stanley’s cap burden in 2025. That would allow them to pursue additional free agents to shore up their secondary with Brandon Stephens expected to hit the open market in March.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Ronnie Stanley

February 16th, 2025 at 9:52pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

After taking a $7.5MM pay cut ahead of the 2024 season, left tackle Ronnie Stanley started every game for the first time in his career and earned Pro Bowl honors as a crucial piece of the Ravens’ league-leading offense.

Now, he is set to enter free agency following his best and healthiest season since his devastating ankle injury in October 2020. Stanley tried to come back to start the 2021 season but played just one game before undergoing surgery for a second time. He took a more gradual approach to his return in 2022, waiting until Week 4 to start and even rotating snaps with Patrick Mekari. He missed a few weeks with another injury, but returned as the Ravens’ full-time left tackle for the rest of the year. The injury concerns continued when Stanley missed Weeks 2 to 4 in 2023 and ended the season once again rotating with Mekari.

Stanley bounced back in 2024, starting all 17 games with a career-high 1,089 snaps. The 2016 first-round pick is still not the dominant pass protector that earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2019, but he is clearly one of the more capable left tackles in the NFL. Given the league’s scarcity at the position, Stanley will likely draw a strong market in free agency.

The Ravens may not let him get that far. Baltimore used the sixth overall pick – the franchise’s highest selection since 2000 – on Stanley in 2016 and signed him to a five-year, $98.75MM extension just three days before his 2020 injury. He has been the team’s preferred left tackle for his entire career when healthy, including the duration of the Lamar Jackson era.

With Mekari also hitting free agency, the Ravens have an uncertain future at the position. They could flip second-year tackle Roger Rosengarten to the blindside, but they would then have to replace him on the right side and deal with the bumps of two new starters on the offensive line. Re-signing Stanley would allow them to bring some continuity into 2025 and keep Rosengarten in the spot where he showed tremendous growth as a rookie. Stanley is an also an excellent fit in Todd Monken‘s offense and a respected leader in the Ravens’ locker room.

Stanley proved his value after accepting a pay cut, so he will be looking to re-establish himself as one of the league’s highest-paid left tackles. He has expressed a desire to stay in Baltimore for the rest of his career, but that doesn’t mean he will give the Ravens a hometown discount. Stanley will likely be seeking upwards of $20MM per year after Garett Bolles signed a $20.5MM APY extension with the Broncos in December. Given his injury history and struggles against elite competition like Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson in 2024, Stanley will likely find it difficult to break into the top tier of left tackle contracts at $22MM APY and above.

Stanley is the most proven pending free agent as his position, though a number of potential starters will be available in March. Cam Robinson and Alaric Jackson started for most of last season, while Tyron Smith, Joseph Noteboom, and Jedrick Wills all missed significant time due to injury. None played as well as Stanley in 2024, though he did benefit from Lamar Jackson‘s elite ability to evade pressure and avoid sacks.

Unlike last year’s tackle-rich draft class, the 2025 draft has just two surefire first-round tackles: Will Campbell out of LSU and Kelvin Banks Jr. out of Texas. Neither is expected to fall to the Ravens at the 27th overall pick, and general manager Eric DeCosta is extremely unlikely to trade up. Re-signing Stanley has long seemed like Baltimore’s best and most likely option, though the team was willing to gamble with their offensive line last year.

In addition to the Ravens, Stanley could receive interest from teams like the Patriots and the Jaguars. Both teams have ample cap space this offseason and need new left tackles to protect their franchise quarterbacks. After their stunning Super Bowl defeat due to a leaky offensive line, the Chiefs could also be a dark-horse contender for Stanley’s services. However, he will be 31 by the time the 2025 regular season rolls around. The longtime Raven may very well conclude that his best fit and chance to win a championship will be in Baltimore where he has spent his entire career.

Ravens Will Explore Extending Derrick Henry, Re-Signing Ronnie Stanley

January 23rd, 2025 at 2:12pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Ravens’ front office is already back to work after their heartbreaking exit from the playoffs last weekend.

General manager Eric DeCosta is exploring an extension for Derrick Henry, who signed a two-year deal to come to Baltimore last offseason, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. With only $9MM in fully guaranteed money, most of which came in the first year, the contract was seen as a low-risk, high-upside maneuver by the Ravens with an easy out in 2025 if Henry faltered in his age-30 season.

Instead, his $8MM APY proved to be a steal. Henry proved offseason critics wrong with an age-defying debut year in Baltimore, leading all running backs with 16 rushing touchdowns and 5.9 yards per carry. He trailed only Saquon Barkley in total rushing attempts and rushing yards and would likely be seeking a commensurate raise in extension negotiations. The Ravens, meanwhile, would be looking to lower Henry’s $12.9MM 2025 cap hit while keeping him around for an additional season or two. An extension could save Baltimore up to $6.2MM against the 2025 cap, per OverTheCap.

DeCosta also addressed the pending free agency of left tackle Ronnie Stanley (via Zrebiec), who played a full season in 2024 for the first time in his career. The Ravens will explore a new contract for Stanley, who has never returned to the rarified level of play he displayed before his devastating 2020 ankle injury. However, after a long road back with multiple surgeries and other minor injuries, he has provided a steady floor of blind side protection for Lamar Jackson.

His grading from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2024 reflects his solid, but not elite play. His 80.9 pass blocking grate ranks 15th among all starting tackles, but his 40 pressures allowed were the 12th-most. Like the rest of Baltimore’s blockers, he benefits from Jackson’s exceptional sack avoidance; Stanley surrendered just two on the season.

But the Ravens know that even serviceable left tackle play is difficult to come by, which is why they consistently stood by Stanley after his injury. He also took a pay cut before the 2024 season and earned back much of the money via incentives. Now, he will likely be seeking an APY in the $20MM range, similar to deals signed by Dion Dawkins, Taylor Decker, and Garett Bolles in the last year.

DeCosta also mentioned offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, who entered the season at right tackle but ended up starting most games at left guard. Mekari is also hitting free agency, where his five-position versatility could draw plenty of interest, especially now that he’s proven himself as a potential starter at guard. The Ravens love Mekari, an undrafted free agent signing back in 2019 who has played a crucial role in filling the void left by injuries to Stanley and others along the offensive line over the last several years. But he could easily price himself out of Baltimore with starting-level money from another team. It’s unlikely the team would be able to afford both Stanley and Mekari this offseason, but they will likely need to keep one to ensure Jackson’s blind side is covered next year.

The Ravens seem more prepared for the departure of cornerback Brandon Stephens. DeCosta said that he expects Stephens to enter free agency in March, indicating that the team won’t pursue re-signing him before then, according to Zrebiec. Stephens emerged as a starting outside corner in 2023, but took a step back this past year, especially when defending the deep ball. 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins is a clear starter for next year, but with Marlon Humphrey excelling in the slot, the Ravens will need to find another starting boundary corner in 2025.

Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley Addresses Pay Cut, Playing Future

June 25th, 2024 at 9:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the 2023 season, Ronnie Stanley dealt with a lingering knee injury which kept him from playing at full health and added further to his missed time. The longtime Ravens left tackle faced an uncertain future entering free agency, but he agreed to a contract revision to remain in Baltimore for 2024.

Stanley and the Ravens agreed to a restructured pact in March, with the 30-year-old reducing his base salary and lowering his cap hit in the process. Incentives and bonuses are present to allow him to recoup that money, but the deal also included making 2024 the final non-void season of the pact. As a result, Stanley enters the coming campaign as a pending free agent. When speaking about his situation, he addressed his mindset regarding the pay cut.

“I just wouldn’t have personally felt good about leaving Baltimore on that note,” Stanley said of potentially being a cap casualty when speaking with The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). “I want to play here my whole career, but even if I’m saying I’ll play one more year for a lot less, it’s because, if this is my last year, I want to go out on a high note. I want to play at the level that I know I can play at. The time that I missed, it would be something that I would have regretted.”

A key factor for the Ravens’ new-look offensive line will be the play of Stanley, a Pro Bowl and All-Pro performer in 2019. He has missed considerable time since then due to ankle and knee injuries, something which has left the Ravens shorthanded on the blindside and led to questions about their long-term plans at the position. Baltimore selected Roger Rosengarten in the second round of this year’s draft, and he could take on the starting right tackle role as early as Week 1 of his rookie season. In the event Stanley were to depart on the open market next spring, Rosengarten – who protected southpaw quarterback Michael Penix Jr.‘s blindside in college – would be a candidate to replace him on the left side. Stanley does not see 2024 as his final NFL campaign, however.

“No, 100 percent, I want to keep playing,” the Notre Dame alum added. “There’s no doubt in my mind. For personal reasons, I view it as a [key] year. I want to personally refuse to have a year like last year… It’s not because it’s the last year on my deal. It’s more because as a competitor, I don’t like not playing to my capability.”

A healthy season from Stanley – who noted his knee has continued to improve this offseason – would help his free agent stock either on a new Ravens pact or a deal sending him elsewhere for the first time in his career. Given the turnover Baltimore has experienced up front, a consistent presence on the blindside would help the team take a step further from last year’s AFC title game loss.

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