Rather than test free agency, Ravens OT Ronnie Stanley chose to re-sign with the team. Coming off his best and healthiest season in some years, his value was at its highest since his last extension. And many believe that he gave Baltimore a bargain, signing a three-year, $60 million deal.
For a franchise left tackle, that’s certainly well within the market range. Considering former Steelers OT Dan Moore Jr. just signed a deal paying him $20.5 million APY, Stanley’s deal with the Ravens looks pretty good. It puts him in line with Taylor Decker, Dion Dawkins, and Garrett Bolles, for example, but in the second tier. Given his injury history, that’s not a surprise, even if he has Pro Bowl talent.
“I think it’s just a really cool thing to be able to spend 10 years of my career-plus with the same team that I got drafted with”, Ronnie Stanley said recently about the possibility of remaining with the Ravens for the duration of his playing days.
“I’m always going to give them first dibs when it comes to things like that out of respect”, Stanley added, noting that the Ravens “took a chance” on him in the top of the draft. Of course, realistically, he went pretty much where people expected him to go in the draft at that time.
And by and large, he proved them right in terms of his talent. By his fourth season, Ronnie Stanley developed into an All-Pro for the Ravens. Unfortunately, his career took a turn for the worse shortly thereafter. Just after signing a massive extension during the 2020 season, he suffered a major injury. That injury has hampered the past half-decade of his career.
Stanley played in just seven games for the Ravens in 2020-21, and 11 in 2022. It wasn’t until last season that he managed a full season again, and his performance also reflected his improved health. He accepted a pay cut to remain with the team in 2024, the team already showing to have his back.
“I knew I was going to give Baltimore the best bargain that I would offer to any other team”, Stanley said of the Ravens. “That being said, I still wanted to be happy with what I’m making and make sure I’m getting the value that I feel like I deserve. I think it was a good balance that could help the team and something I’m still happy with”.
At $20 million APY, Stanley is within $500,000 of all but the top five highest-paid left tackles in the NFL, so the Ravens didn’t exactly rob him. Still, they paid him nearly $20 million APY on his previous extension, back in 2020. The fact that his salary has roughly remained flat speaks to the trials he has experienced.
The Ravens are still taking a gamble on Ronnie Stanley, now 31, given his injury history. It’s certainly possible that another team on the open market would have been willing to pay him more. Franchise left tackles are rarely available on the open market, even ones in less-than-ideal condition. Odds are, this deal was best for both parties, but his health will determine that.
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