When Ronnie Stanley signed his three-year, $60 million extension, the Baltimore Ravens fanbase blew a collective sigh of relief. They had accomplished what general manager Eric DeCosta had set out to do: Make sure Stanley goes nowhere.
The Stanley signing took him off a lot of other team's free-agent boards, leaving money on the table to come back to Baltimore. It was a move that signaled he was all in on helping this team finally get over the hump and win a Super Bowl. Stanley had his rumored suitors had he hit the open market. The Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders, and the New England Patriots were the loudest teams, and for a minute, it felt like the Raven might let Stanley slip through their fingers and sign elsewhere.
After all, it'd be understandable. He'll turn 31 years old and has battled through his fair share of injuries, so why not enjoy the massive contract and run? Because that's just not how Stanley does business. In his press conference with the Ravens media, Stanley explained his decision to remain with the Purple and Black, and it'll surely make him a fan favorite.
Ronnie Stanley explains why he took less to come back to the Ravens
Stanley was very honest and put it very bluntly when asked why he returned to Baltimore when he knew there were bigger offers on the table:
“It just goes back to the fact that they drafted me straight out of college, took a chance on me. So I’m always gonna give them first dibs when it comes to things like that…out of respect."
He also said his three-year, $60 million deal was something that could help due to their salary cap situation and something that he's still happy with. Talk about someone who's ride or die. But what an absolute team move here. Players leave for money all the time, but here's Stanley riding with the only city he's called home out of sheer respect and understanding they're building something special here.
Stanley sticking around wasn’t just a big win for the Ravens—it was a major blow to the teams that were after him. The Chiefs, one of his rumored suitors, had to pivot and sign untested Jaylon Moore as a fallback. The Commanders scrambled and ended up trading a draft haul for Laremy Tunsil to fill their left tackle void. And the Patriots? They’re still out here with a massive hole at tackle, hoping someone—anyone—will come save them.
Stanley had options. He had the chance to take more money and chase a ring elsewhere. Instead, he chose Baltimore because he believes this team is built to win now. He took less so the Ravens could keep building around Lamar Jackson. That’s how you handle business. That’s how you keep a Super Bowl window open.
Out of respect for the Ravens, Stanley took less money to help them out. So, it's only right that out of respect for Stanley, the Ravens should prioritize keeping him in Baltimore until he calls it a career.