An X-factor is generally defined as something or someone that has a possesses a strong influence but can be unpredictable in nature. As it relates to the NFL, an X-factor can be a player that is influential in how a team will perform but they’re predictability or reliability is volatile.
A team can have several different X-factors, but some players can have more influential role than others. For the Baltimore Ravens, is starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley the team’s biggest X-factor in 2025?
An ESPN ranking of the league’s top rosters recently listed Stanley as such, citing his injury history and risk of potentially missing games. It is true that the 31-year-old has a checkered past with injuries which, up until last season, had altered his status as an elite left tackle.
However, Stanley surprisingly turned the tide last season in a pivotal contract year. He played in every regular season game for the first time in his career and returned to a higher level of play. In doing so, Stanley earned himself a three-year contract extension, which the Ravens inked him to early in the offseason.
That was a pivotal move for the team, as it avoided the Ravens needing to find a new left tackle via the draft or elsewhere. When healthy, Stanley has always been a pivotal part of the team’s core and offensive identity and scheme since being drafted in 2016. While he may not be at the same best-in-the-league level he was several years ago, Stanley proved last season he’s still a top-level player at his position.
It is true, though, that his availability remains a crucial component of the Ravens’ success. If Stanley were to miss time, it would put the Ravens in a bind. They lost their reliable veteran backup swing tackle, Patrick Mekari, in free agency — who had previously filled in for Stanley routinely over the years.
They replaced Mekari by signing another veteran in Joe Noteboom, who currently projects as the primary backup to Stanley. The Ravens also drafted a potential swing tackle in Emery Jones Jr. and another pure offensive tackle, Carson Vinson, in the fifth round. However, the former is currently injured, and the latter profiles as a developmental prospect.
In recent years when Stanley has been absent due to injury, we’ve seen a drop-off in play from the left tackle spot — which can have an obvious negative impact on the entire offensive line play. Stanley’s role as Lamar Jackson’s blindside protector is paramount.
In the event that he was sidelined for an extended period of time in 2025, the Ravens would be forced into a scramble. They’d either have to simply plug in Noteboom or another backup option and hope they can exceed expectations or possibly rotate tackle options, which is something they’ve done before in recent years.
For the Ravens to once again to have a successful offensive season and ultimately reach their super bowl aspirations, their offensive line will need to play at a high level. That very largely hinges on the availability and performance of Stanley.