Ravens: Ronnie Stanley out for the season, star LT releases statement

Baltimore Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley will undergo a season-ending ankle surgery as the team announced on Tuesday afternoon.

This will be the second straight year the star left tackle has ended his season early. In 2020, he only played six games after suffering his first ankle injury in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Despite rehabbing his ankle during the offseason, Stanley never regained full health and hasn’t featured in a game since Week 1. Now, as Stanley undergoes yet another surgery, Baltimore has placed Stanley on injured reserve.

Stanley released a statement about his difficult decision on Twitter:

News surrounding Stanley’s injury in 2021 was never promising, and his statement mostly just confirms what many already suspected.

Ravens star tackle Ronnie Stanley is ruled out for the 2021 season

In Stanley’s absence this season, the Ravens have shifted veteran Alejandro Villanueva to the left tackle spot and plugged Patrick Mekari in at right tackle.

Both Villanueva and Mekari played well in the Ravens’ dominant win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, and with Stanley out for good, the two tackles will have to carry the rest of the weight in this 17-game marathon of a season.

Baltimore also claimed Brandon Knight off waivers on Monday after his release from the Dallas Cowboys, which fueled rumors that Stanley would not return. They recently added David Sharpe to the practice squad too.

As one of the best left tackles in the game, Stanley will be sorely missed. The Ravens offensive line will have to pick up the slack and learn how to manage without him in 2021.

We wish Ronnie Stanley a speedy recovery and hope he could return to full health in 2022.