As coaches and executives arrive in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine, the Baltimore Ravens still have their attention on their attention on their top pending free agent.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who returned to form in 2024 after battling injuries for years, is due for a huge pay day this offseason, but at this point, it’s looking more and more likely that it will be with another team. The Ravens don’t have a ton of cap space to work with, and Stanley is the top offensive lineman on the market this offseason. It’s not too hard to see why a return seems unlikely at this time.
Of course, neither the Ravens or Stanley have officially made a decision yet, but it could be coming very soon. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Baltimore should gain a clear idea of Stanley’s intentions during this week’s combine.
“Pending free agents aren’t technically allowed to speak to interested teams until March 10, in what’s become known as the two-day ‘legal tampering’ window,” Zrebiec wrote. “However, it’s the league’s worst-kept secret that some of those conversations typically pick up steam at the scouting combine. By week’s end, the Ravens should know where they stand with Stanley.
“It very well might be the most difficult decision general manager Eric DeCosta has to make all offseason. Stanley is one of the better left tackles in football when healthy. He’s coming off a season in which he played every game for the first time in nine years. He’s a locker room leader who values the idea of playing in Baltimore his entire career.”
If the Ravens are able to re-sign Stanley, they should be able to use their remaining cap space and draft picks to improve other areas of the roster. If he walks, then finding a new blindside blocker for Lamar Jackson – be it through free agency, the draft or even internally – instantly becomes the team’s top priority.
Stanley’s decision will be the Ravens’ first big domino to fall, so the sooner they know his plans, the better.