The Baltimore Ravens face off against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in what could be the last time Ronnie Stanley wears the purple and black. A first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Notre Dame product has been a staple along Baltimore’s offensive line, holding down the left tackle position while earning First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2019.
While he never quite recaptured that elite form beyond that magic season, he remains one of the game’s better starting tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, Stanley finished the year as the 38th-best player at his position out of 81 eligible tackles. Now set to hit free agency, Ronnie Stanley will earn a massive paycheck, but it might not come from the Ravens.
As of this posting, the Baltimore Ravens have a below-average $17.1 million in projected cap space. Stanley probably won’t receive the franchise tag, meaning he should hit the open market. While he’s not a superstar, a desperate team like the New England Patriots or New Orleans Saints could outbid Baltimore for his services.
Patriots, Saints Could Steal Ronnie Stanley From Ravens
The New England Patriots have their work cut out for them over the next few months. The franchise lives and dies with UNC’s Drake Maye, and old friend Mike Vrabel is returning to lead the team from the sidelines. The head coach and quarterback are the two most important parts of any rebuild, but the rest of the roster must still carry their weight.
Every single position on this disastrous roster needs an upgrade, but offensive tackle might be the biggest need. Vederian Lowe and Demontrey Jacobs were arguably the NFL’s worst two starting tackles, and third-round rookie Caedan Wallace looked terrible in limited action. New England needs at least two more starters, and Ronnie Stanley could be the perfect free agent signing if he leaves the Ravens. Armed with a league-leading $120.5 million in cap space, the Patriots have the financial resources to sign Stanley while upgrading the other tackle position and adding some receiving talent.
Retooling In New Orleans
On paper, the New Orleans Saints do not have the financial freedom to outbid the Ravens for Ronnie Stanley. However, General Manager Mickey Loomis excels at restructuring contracts to create cap space, so don’t be surprised to see him do it again this offseason. No matter who becomes the next Saints head coach, the organization must do something about the offensive line.
The Saints had perhaps the worst offensive line outside of New England and they need to find another starter. Ryan Ramczyk all but confirmed his retirement with his latest contract restructure, so New Orleans must find another starting-caliber tackle if they want Derek Carr to survive another season.
First-round pick Taliese Fuaga spent his rookie season at left tackle but played on the right side in college. Fuaga was arguably the best rookie tackle when playing out of position, so imagine how good he could be on his native right side. Signing Ronnie Stanley from the Ravens and plugging him in at left tackle should give New Orleans two reliable starters, which is crucial when Carr is your quarterback. The former Raider is one of the NFL’s worst passers when under pressure, so keeping him clean will be crucial to organization’s long-term success.
Main Photo: Mitch Stringer – USA Today Sports
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