When word leaked that the Baltimore Ravens were set to bring back Ronnie Stanley on a new three-year contract before NFL free agency began in earnest, it was potentially the most devastating news of the offseason for the Kansas CIty Chiefs.
As it turns out, the idea of bringing Stanley in to serve as the team's new left tackle might have been a mirage in the first place.
The Chiefs came into the offseason with one glaring, obvious need: a new left tackle. Not only has the position been a carousel of sorts in the last few years, but draft attempts have turned sour and short-term signings have failed. Then last year, the Chiefs even tried four different performers in the role, relying ultimately on their All-Pro left guard, Joe Thuney, to man things in the postseason.
Ronnie Stanley was never going anywhere but back to Baltimore.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, this was a horrible offseason to need a left tackle. The team is picking near the end of the first round, so once again, they will be left out of the running for any of the top-tier options—unless Veach surrenders significant future capital. And free agency is a dry well for the most part. Only Stanley could inspire any real optimism on the open market.
But Stanley would never make it to the open market. Per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, as it turns out, Stanley was likely never going anywhere.
The Ravens got Stanley to sign on the dotted line for $20 million annually for three seasons, but Breer says that three teams were in the running—the Chiefs, New England Patriots, and Washington Commanders—and says two of those teams (unnamed) were willing to go as high as $24M per season.
That means Stanley was willing to forgo an extra $12 million to stay in Baltimore, which makes it clear that he never really wanted to leave in the first place.
The situation feels akin to the Chiefs' chase of Trent Williams in free agency back in 2021. The Chiefs also needed a left tackle after deciding to move on from Eric Fisher as part of an overhaul of the offensive line. Williams decided to return to San Francisco despite the Chiefs' willingness to pay more potentially and K.C. was forced to make a move for Orlando Brown Jr. instead.
Now the Chiefs will turn to less impressive options like Dan Moore or Cam Robinson. Maybe they'll draft another hopeful prospect to compete with the likes of Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia. Perhaps a D.J. Humphries will be thrown into the mix. And the letdown is real after seeing Stanley sign in Baltimore, but the truth is that it was all a mirage in the first place.