The Baltimore Ravens have a much improved offensive line heading into the 2021 season as opposed to what they finished the 2020 season with. A lot of that has to do with the additions that the team made in 2021 free agency as well as the draft, but a key lineman who will be returning for Baltimore is tackle Ronnie Stanley.
Stanly suffered a gruesome leg injury in the middle part of the 2020 season, and his loss was felt throughout the offense over the rest of the year. His return should be a massive boost for the Ravens’ run game as well as their passing attack.
When surveying more than 50 players, coaches, executives and others from across the NFL about who are the league’s’ best offensive tackles, Stanley earned a spot on the list of 10 players, coming in at No. 5. One AFC coach looked at his skill set, describing him as a “finesse player”.
“He’s a finesse player…He won’t move you off the spot, will more cover you up.”
The coach outlined a bit of Stanley’s strengths and weaknesses, highlighting that he’s a great pass protector but can sometimes struggle in physical situations.
“Where he can be great is in pass pro — good feet and athletic…If he faces a 3-4 defense that’s physical with a good 3-4 D-end, he can struggle. But one-on-ones off the edge, he’s as good as there is. He can handle speed rushers.”
All in all, Stanley is one of the best tackles in all of football. He fits extremely well into Baltimore’s offense and will be for a long time, as he signed a massive five-year, $98.75 million contract through the 2025 regular season. When he’s at full strength, he can open holes in the run game as well as keep the quarterback clean, and those are two very important things for any offensive lineman. Stanley does his job at a very high level, and he is an extremely important piece to a potential Super Bowl run for the team.
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