The Baltimore Ravens didn't have many major free agents this offseason. Sure, it'd be nice for them to re-sign players like Patrick Ricard and Ar’Darius Washington, but Ricard shouldn't cost much and Washington is a restricted free agent. The one free agent that they absolutely had to sign was Ronnie Stanley, one of the best left tackles in the NFL who would have undoubtedly received tons of interest on the open market.
Fortunately, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta got a deal done with Stanley before he could even entertain landing elsewhere, inking the offensive lineman to a three-year, $60 million deal with $40 million guaranteed according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
The Ravens and Ronnie Stanley are in agreement on a three-year, $60 million extension with $44 million guaranteed at signing, per source.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 8, 2025
Kim Miale of Roc Nation negotiated the deal.
Baltimore takes one of the top pending free agents off the board and keeps their own. pic.twitter.com/k1EGo3XId9
Again, it cannot be overstated just how crucial of a move this is for the Ravens.
Ravens make offseason move they had to make by re-signing Ronnie Stanley
Stanley just wrapped up his best season in a half-decade, appearing in all 17 regular season games and both playoff games Baltimore appeared in. He ranked 39th among 141 offensive tackles with a 71.0 PFF grade and 21st among 141 tackles with a 79.6 pass-blocking grade. He allowed just two sacks all season despite playing in a division with the likes of Myles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson, and T.J. Watt. No matter how you slice it, Stanley was one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL this past season, so keeping him around is a big win for the Ravens.
With that being said, though, this contract is quite substantial, especially with Stanley's history being taken into account. He stayed healthy in 2024, which is great, but that was the first season in his nine-year career in which he did not miss a game. It was also Stanley's first time since 2019 appearing in at least 14 games. He has been incredibly injury-prone throughout his career, and is also 30 years old right now. Chances are, as he continues to age, it will only be tougher for him to consistently stay on the field.
The contract might not look great in 2028, but the fact of the matter is that the Ravens are a team all-in right now. They've continued to fall short in the playoffs, but their roster expects to be in Super Bowl contention every year. It'd be a lot harder for them to get there without their standout left tackle, who, when on the field, is a star. Given that, letting him go simply was not an option.
Stanley is one of the most important players on this Ravens team. Getting him back is a huge win, even if the Ravens might've overpaid a tad, and if they end up contending for a Super Bowl, Stanley will likely play a huge role in that.