The Baltimore Ravens are staring down a brutal reality—Ronnie Stanley, their longtime left tackle, might not be in purple and black next season. After finally putting together a fully healthy campaign, Stanley has re-established himself as one of the top offensive linemen hitting the market, and now, the vultures are circling.
Enter the New England Patriots. According to For the Win’s Cory Woodroof, New England is expected to be “big spenders” in free agency, and Stanley is one of their prime targets. With rookie quarterback Drake Maye stepping in as the face of the franchise, the Patriots need a reliable left tackle to protect him.
Unfortunately for Baltimore, they’ve got the cap space to simply throw money at the problem—something the Ravens just can’t do right now.
Woodroof predicts that New England will outbid everyone else to land Stanley, writing:
"Stanley will be 31 to start the season, but he’s as good of a veteran left tackle as New England could ask for to keep Maye upright through the duration of his rookie contract. The Patriots can simply outbid other teams for a player of Stanley’s caliber, and adding him would cross off a massive need on New England’s list of priorities this offseason."
Losing Stanley wouldn’t be ideal, but the Ravens might not have much of a choice.
Can the Ravens afford to lose Ronnie Stanley this offseason?
The short answer? They can afford to lose him, but it won’t be easy.
Stanley was a rock for Baltimore in 2024, playing a full season for the first time in his career and helping Lamar Jackson operate one of the league’s most efficient offenses. After years of injury setbacks, he finally looked like the dominant left tackle the Ravens paid for back in 2020. But with Baltimore’s cap space sitting at around $8.9 million—and Stanley’s market value creeping toward $20 million per year—re-signing him isn’t a guarantee.
If Stanley walks, the Ravens have two real options: sign a budget-friendly free agent or lean on their young talent. Roger Rosengarten, who had a strong rookie season at right tackle, could shift to the left side, but that’s no small transition. If Baltimore moves Rosengarten, they’ll need to find a new right tackle, either in free agency or the draft.
The alternative is drafting a left tackle and plugging him in from Day 1, a risky move for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
The Patriots can outbid Baltimore, and that might be all it takes. But while New England can offer a payday, the Ravens offer stability and a legitimate shot at a championship. Whether that’s enough to keep Stanley in purple and black remains to be seen.