For years, Ronnie Stanley has been one of the Baltimore Ravens' most dependable players. However, at 32 years old with a fairly lengthy injury history, there's some understandable concern about Stanley's long-term future. Stanley is currently dealing with a nagging toe injury, and when he's been on the field, he hasn't been up to his standards. In three games, he's allowed six pressures, two sacks, and committed three penalties, according to PFF.
As such, the Ravens might have to be thinking of long-term tackle options sooner rather than later. Thankfully, Carson Vinson has thrived when given an opportunity, including when taking over for Stanley in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys. Vinson also took over for Stanley in Week 2 and performed well enough given the circumstances. During his 86 snaps, Vinson hasn't allowed a single sack; he's allowed just two pressures and committed just one penalty.
The 24-year-old is quietly making a compelling case to be the Ravens' future starting left tackle. Specifically, Vinson's strong play has caught the attention of offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford.
"He's really worked himself into a position in which where he showed us, to me, I thought in that Dallas game that he's able to go out there and to play at a very good level," Ledford said. " "And so I was very pleased with what I saw from him, and not only just from that game, but just him outside here every day."
Why Carson Vinson could be the Baltimore Ravens' left tackle of the future
The first thing that jumps out about Vinson is his physical tools. At 6-foot-7, 325 pounds, he has ideal measurements for a quality tackle. Vinson is remarkably quick on his feet and moves well laterally, all while having a ton of power as a blocker. This skill set is needed when matching up with some of the league's best edge rushers, and it gives Vinson a ton of long-term upside.
He played just seven snaps as a rookie. Considering how well Vinson performed when essentially being thrown into the fire, it's easy to be confident about him scaling up if given the opportunity. The mental toughness is clear as day.
As noted, given Stanley's age and injury woes, it would be ideal for the Ravens to have a long-term plan at tackle. Needless to say, protecting Lamar Jackson is of paramount importance. While Stanley has done a great job for years, his time might be up soon.
And frankly, there's a chance that the Ravens transition away from Stanley as soon as next season. The draft is obviously a viable option, but Vinson has shown enough to earn a chance. Based on how he's played so far, Vinson may never look back if he's given an opportunity.
Projecting ahead to next season, a quartet of Vinson, Cam Jurgens, Vega Ioane, and Roger Rosengarten offers plenty of intrigue and upside. Left guard John Simpson would be my one question mark, and I wonder if the Ravens would explore other options there next season. Nevertheless, if Vinson gets unleashed, the Ravens could have a productive and sustainable offensive line.
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