Ravens: Ronnie Stanley’s return is good news for Odafe Oweh

The Baltimore Ravens saw the return of star left tackle Ronnie Stanley to practice last week. That’s good news for the organization as a whole, but one player who has a chance to really benefit from Stanley’s return is Odafe Oweh.

Oweh might not be the first person that comes to mind when discussing players who benefit from Stanley’s return. Some might point to Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, or other members of the offensive line as likely beneficiaries.

Those would all be accurate. But Oweh now has the opportunity to line up opposite one of the NFL’s premier left tackles in practice.

And that’s an opportunity that most rookie edge rushers don’t have.

Ronnie Stanley’s return to Ravens practice will benefit Odafe Oweh

Stanley returned to practice in a limited capacity last week, but it wasn’t until Monday that he finally made his long-awaited return to team drills. And he was immediately matched up with Oweh.

The All-Pro tackle unexpectedly got the better of his inexperienced counterpart in their first few meetings on Monday, but Oweh is looking forward to learning more from his elder teammate.

The Ravens selected Oweh with the 31st overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft not necessarily for his collegiate production, but because they believed that his athletic traits could translate into NFL success.

Oweh has only been playing football since his junior year of high school. He managed just seven sacks in three years of college football including none in his final season.

He’s as raw as they come. That’s why matching up with a player as technically skilled as Stanley should go a long way toward helping him reach his ceiling.

There’s an old saying that says “iron sharpens iron.” Nowhere is that more evident than with Oweh and Stanley’s battles this summer.

Oweh is still learning to win as a pass rusher in the NFL with more than just his athleticism. On Monday, he attempted a swift spin move only to be stone-walled by his more experienced teammate.

Stanley has been here before. His blend of athleticism and technical refinement makes him the perfect counterpart for Oweh in practice.

Ronnie Stanley will make Odafe Oweh better. That’s why few players should be more excited about his return than the Ravens’ first-round pick.