Ravens lock up left tackle Ronnie Stanley with huge contract

Ronnie Stanley is staying in Baltimore for a long time. 

As deadly as Lamar Jackson has been with his arm and his legs as the quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens, his success has been aided by a stalwart offensive line lead by young right tackle Ronnie Stanley. Knowing what Stanley means to this team, Eric DeCosta had decided to lock up their stalwart left tackle for the next five years.

Stanley, who could’ve hit the free-agent market after this season, has agreed to a five-year extension with Baltimore. Stanley’s extension is a nine-figure deal that could pay him up to $112 million with $70 million in guarantees.

That might seem like a lot, but Stanley’s production on one of the league’s best is up there with any other left tackle in the game.

Ronnie Stanley is one of the best offensive linemen in the league

Stanley was picked sixth overall in the 2016 draft out of Notre Dame, and he immediately solved the post-Jonathan Ogden quandary at left tackle for Baltimore. Stanley really came into his own last year, as he was named a First-Team All-Pro as Baltimore stormed to a 14-2 record.

While Jackson’s looming contract extension is expected to eat up a lot of Baltimore’s cap, the Ravens are doing a good job of locking up most of their star players. In addition to Stanley, Baltimore gave top cornerback Marlon Humphrey a new contract on the defensive side of the ball. With their core locked in long-term, expect Baltimore to be a force in the competitive AFC North for years to come.

While this deal may sound absurd, Stanley is the best pass protecting left tackle in the league and one of the best run-blockers. In a league where that combination is getting harder to find, Stanley is worth every penny Baltimore gave him.