The Baltimore Ravens took care of the biggest item on their free agent to-do list right away when they signed star offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley to a new three-year deal.

With Stanley bought in long-term, the Ravens have their left tackle position secured in Lamar Jackson’s relative prime.

That’s part of the reason why Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon believed the Stanley signing was good for the Ravens.

“Sure, Stanley has a spotty injury history, and he’s on the wrong side of 30 now. But the 2024 Pro Bowler has been relatively healthy the last two years and he’s integral to the Ravens’ operation,” Gagnon writes.

“This team remains a contender in the AFC, but it is being chased down by the Bengals and Steelers within the division and the competition is fierce beyond that. If they’re finally going to get over the top with this core, Lamar Jackson has to remain healthy and free, and re-signing Stanley is critical there.

“That they secured him for just $20 million a year (which is not even a top-10 average annual salary at the tackle position) is the cherry on top for a veteran team with limited cap room.”

Stanley comes with risk, but so does every player putting themselves in harm’s way 17 Sundays a year. Stanley is a calculated risk because he has consistently been able to perform among the top offensive linemen in the league, and there’s no reason for him to stop now.

Stanley might not be at his peak like he once was, but even a version of him at 70-80 percent is still better than a good chunk of tackles in the league.

Now that Stanley is signed, the Ravens can focus on other areas of need with their 11 draft picks.