Ravens Top Offseason Priority Revealed
![Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) at the line of scrimmage against the Kansas City Chiefs during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Sep 5, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) at the line of scrimmage against the Kansas City Chiefs during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_6159,h_3464,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/raven_country/01jjpzjnzmynjhr44q68.jpg)
The Baltimore Ravens have built one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and the foundation of that has been left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who joined the team in 2016.
However, Stanley is approaching free agency this offseason, and he will be sought after by many teams looking for help in the trenches.
ESPN listed re-signing Stanley or his replacement as the Ravens' biggest priority for the offseason.
"Figure out who's protecting quarterback Lamar Jackson's blind side," ESPN wrote when asked about the team's biggest offseason priority.
"Ronnie Stanley, who has started 103 games at left tackle for the Ravens, is scheduled to be a free agent. Baltimore has to decide whether it wants to re-sign the 30-year-old or go younger at that spot. The Ravens are throwing the ball more, which means his pass protection could be more of an asset. But Jackson's ability to elude the pass rush could allow the Ravens to go with a less expensive option."
Stanley will cost a lot of money on the open market, and with the Ravens needing to pay other players across the roster, bringing him back may not be the easiest option.
"Stanley will be hard to re-sign. He has had a resurgent season and lesser tackles are getting $20 million or more per year. Plus, the Ravens traditionally haven't been afraid to go young along their offensive line. This could be it after nine seasons in Baltimore," ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler writes.
The Ravens could hypothetically use the franchise tag on Stanley, but they did draft Roger Rosengarten in the second round of last year's draft and could look to take another tackle in a loaded draft class this spring, so even if Stanley doesn't return, Baltimore will find a way to make it work.