Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

George Fant Considering Titans, Ravens

April 9th, 2025 at 10:16am CST by Nikhil Mehta

Veteran offensive tackle George Fant worked out for the Ravens on Monday and will also visit the Titans, per Joe Person and Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.

Fant was released by the Seahawks in early March after multiple stints on injured reserve limited him to just two appearances in 2024. He earned the Seahawks’ starting right tackle job out of training camp, but played just 13 snaps in Week 1 before exiting the game with a knee injury. Fant returned from IR to start in Week 9, but only lasted 17 snaps before going down once more, this time for the rest of the season.

Despite a strong market for offensive tackles this offseason, the 32-year-old received little interest in the first few waves in free agency. Now that teams have their starting tackles secured, Fant has been contacted by multiple teams as a veteran swing tackle with experience on both sides of the offensive line. The former Texans and Jets starter has honed in on the Ravens and the Titans as his best fits.

“There’s a couple other teams that I’ve been talking to,” said Fant (via Zrebiec). “But those two are really intriguing to me. Obviously, Baltimore being a contender and Nashville being where I live at. So I’m definitely interested.”

Fant was born and raised in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which is an hour away from the Titans’ home in Nashville, Tennessee. He stayed in Bowling Green to play basketball at Western Kentucky University before switching to football in his fifth year and launching his NFL career.

The Titans signed Dan Moore to start at left tackle, which will allow 2024 first-rounder JC Latham to return to right tackle where he played throughout his college career at Alabama. The Titans have some young tackle depth, but Fant would bring some much-needed experience to the position who could back up both sides in 2025.

The Ravens are returning Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten as their starting tackles in 2025, but they badly need to add depth. Longtime swing tackle Patrick Mekari started at guard in 2024 before signing with the Jaguars in free agency, and the team converted another tackle, Daniel Faalele, to guard last year as well. Fant doesn’t have any direct connections with the Ravens’ coaching staff, but he did play under ex-defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald in Seattle.

Workout Notes: Griffin, Fant, Charles

April 7th, 2025 at 9:09pm CST by Ben Levine

Shaquill Griffin could be returning to where it all started. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, the veteran defensive back visited the Seahawks today.

It’s been quiet on the Griffin front, with today’s news representing his first reported visit of the offseason. In a free agent CB class that still features a handful of notable names (including Rasul Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr., and Mike Hilton), it’s notable that Griffin is starting to make some noise.

The former Seahawks draft pick has bounced around the NFL a bit since leaving Seattle after the 2020 season. He got a multi-year deal from the Jaguars but only lasted two campaigns in Jacksonville, and he later got into games with three teams between 2023 and 2024 (Texans, Panthers, Vikings).

He did manage to get into all 17 games for the Vikings in 2024, collecting 41 tackles and a pair of interceptions while appearing in about half of his team’s defensive snaps. While Griffin will soon hit his age-30 season, he showed that he can still be a useful depth piece. The Seahawks are set to return their same CB starters next season (Riq Woolen, Josh Jobe, and Devon Witherspoon), but he could compete with the likes of Nehemiah Pritchett for any leftover snaps.

More workout notes from around the NFL…

George Fant was mentioned earlier tonight as a mentor to Colin Granger, but the veteran is also looking to continue his own playing career. According to Tony Pauline of Sportkeeda.com, Fant worked out for the Ravens today. It sounds like the lineman/tight end is being particular about where he continues his career, with Pauline cautioning that Fant is only eyeing teams that deliver “the right fit.” After getting into only two games with the Seahawks last season, Fant would likely be competing for a final roster spot in Baltimore.
The Cowboys worked out veteran offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles on Friday, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Charles suddenly retired last August, but Garafolo notes that the lineman is already considering a comeback. A former fourth-round pick by the Commanders, Charles got into 35 games across his four seasons in Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he started a career-high 10 games. While Charles played OT early in his career, he could join Brock Hoffman and Robert Jones as options to replace Zack Martin.

2025 NFL Draft Visits: Schwesinger, Cowboys, Nolen, Ezeiruaku, Burden, Turner, Bond, Steelers, Emmanwori

April 6th, 2025 at 10:14pm CST by Ely Allen

This isn’t exactly a visit in the sense of top-30 visits, like most of the rest of bullets that follow this will be, but UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger held a private pro day earlier this week in Los Angeles and had 30 teams in attendance, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

While, obviously, not a comprehensive list, Schefter specifically mentions the Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Chargers, and Broncos, and notes that the linebackers coaches from Dallas, New York, and New Orleans all met privately with Schwesinger.

Schwesinger is not currently the top-ranked linebacker prospect in most analysts’ eyes, but he often slides in as the second-best off-ball linebacker in the class behind Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell — third if you count Georgia defender Jalon Walker, who has the ability to play every linebacker spot at the next level. Some thought Schwesinger may sneak into the back end of the first round at the end of the month, but more likely is that he hears his name on Day 2. Per Tony Pauline of sportskeeda, it would be surprising to see him fall past the first half of the second round.

Here are some more prospect-NFL team connections we’ve seen recent reports on:

The Cowboys have certainly been very busy in the runup to the 2025 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team held their invite-only “Dallas Day,” hosting draft prospects without the visits counting towards their top-30 visits. According to Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton met with the team at “Dallas Day.” The well-balanced rusher continues to skyrocket up draft boards, is likely to join Ashton Jeanty in the first round, and has several other visits lined up.
Jeanty was also in attendance on Friday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. We had relayed that Jeanty would be taking a top-30 visit with the Cowboys, but it’s unclear whether this is what was meant in that original report. Also in attendance for “Dallas Day” were Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner, Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, TCU wide receivers Savion Williams and Jack Bech, Texas quarterback and offensive lineman Quinn Ewers and Cameron Williams, and Miami tight end and running back Elijah Arroyo and Damien Martinez.
Also in attendance at “Dallas Day” was Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Nolen will follow up his Dallas visit with a visit with the Panthers on Monday and a visit with the Bengals some other time this week.
Joining Nolen in Carolina on Monday will be Boston College pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, per Joe Person of The Athletic. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year has been a hot topic with multiple scouts of late, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He’s currently viewed as an early-Day 2 prospect, and his stock continues to rise.
Speaking of another “Dallas Day” athlete, Wilson of KPRC 2 provided an updated list of teams that Turner, from Texas A&M, is set to visit with. We already noted his recent visit in New Orleans, but Wilson tells us that Turner has also visited the Texans and plans to visit the Ravens, Rams, Eagles, Dolphins, Colts, Buccaneers, and Cardinals.
According to Mike Klis of 9NEWS, the Broncos hosted Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden for a top-30 visit last week. The talented wideout fell off in 2024 after an incredible sophomore campaign with the Tigers, but his high ceiling makes him a borderline first-round prospect. Denver would love to bring in another talented weapon for young quarterback Bo Nix.
We already reported recent visits for Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond in Atlanta, Chicago, Green Bay, and Los Angeles, but we now have a couple sources adding some new locations for the Longhorn. Wilson of KPRC 2 tells us that Bond had dinner with the Bills before a private workout Friday and a top-30 visit as well as visits with the Browns and Packers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that Bond has visits scheduled with the Chiefs and Titans, as well.
Brooke Pryor of ESPN tells us that the Steelers hosted a full house on Thursday. Prospects on hand last week included Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, and Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew.
Lastly, Pryor adds that Pittsburgh was one of the recent teams to host South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori. The pre-draft standout had reportedly lined up visits with Atlanta, Carolina, Seattle, Cincinnati, and Miami already. The Steelers’ interest in the Gamecock is no surprise as he’s trending towards being a Day 1 selection at this point.

Ravens Notes: Free Agency, Humphrey, Simpson, Washington

April 4th, 2025 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

To little surprise, the Ravens have not been busy so far in free agency. Modest outside additions (DeAndre Hopkins, Cooper Rush, Chidobe Awuzie) have set the team up for adding further depth in the draft, but Baltimore has also shown interest in other moves recently.

The Ravens were “in on a lot of” interior offensive lineman in free agency, a league executive informed The Athletic’s Mike Sando (subscription required). Patrick Mekari – whose six-year Baltimore career included time at every O-line position – operated as the team’s starting left guard for much of 2024. The former UDFA landed a three-year Jaguars pact including $22.5MM in guarantees on the open market, creating a vacancy in the starting lineup.

Andrew Vorhees represents an in-house candidate to take on a first-team role at left guard. The opposite spot is occupied by converted tackle Daniel Faalele, who struggled early in the 2024 season in particular and finished with a PFF grade of just 60.5. While the center position is set for now (and quite possibly the long-term future) with Tyler Linderbaum, guard will be a spot to watch at the draft with respect to the Ravens.

The cornerback position is also one which saw Baltimore lose a starter in free agency. Brandon Stephens took a deal with the Jets, creating the need for a boundary replacement. Marlon Humphrey has seen time on the outside but also in the slot during his career, and it appears he is on track to stay inside for 2025. Head coach John Harbaugh said (via Sando’s colleague Jeff Zrebiec) he prefers Humphrey playing in the slot. If the four-time Pro Bowler is primarily used on the inside next season, that will leave 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins in place for first-team duties on the perimeter. Awuzie is a candidate for the other starting gig, although Baltimore could look to add a rookie as competition.

Baltimore’s inside linebackers group features the highest-paid player at the position in Roquan Smith but a question regarding who will start alongside him. Trenton Simpson opened the year in that capacity, but the 23-year-old struggled and did not handle a snap share above 44% from Week 12 onward. Harbaugh expects Simpson to again handle a starting role at least on early downs in 2025 (h/t Zrebiec), but to no surprise he added Baltimore will make at least one more addition at the linebacker spot.

The Ravens saw Patrick Queen depart for Pittsburgh on the open market last offseason, and the Steelers similarly signed Malik Harrison in free agency this March. Baltimore also saw special teamer Chris Board depart, although his third phase contributions will be replaced by free agent signing Jake Hummel. Just like guard and cornerback, though, linebacker will be an area to watch as the Ravens weigh their remaining options in free agency as well as the draft.

The team’s defensive turnaround midway through the 2024 campaign was driven in part by the decision to insert safety Ar’Darius Washington into the starting lineup. The former UDFA made a case to remain a first-team option moving forward, and he was kept under team control when Baltimore placed the right of first refusal RFA tender on him. That will leave Washington in line for $3.26MM in 2025 compensation if he signs the tender, something he has until April 18 to do. Zrebiec writes no offer sheet signs have emerged to date regarding the 25-year-old, but he suggests the Ravens would prefer to retain Washington at a lower price than the tender value (subscription required).

Veteran Marcus Williams was benched midway through the season, and as expected he was released last month. Baltimore had already let go of Eddie Jackson by that point, so it would come as no surprise if safety was seen as a position of need early in the draft. Kyle Hamilton is among the Ravens’ most important players and will occupy one first-team spot moving forward, but it remains to be seen if Washington will do the same in 2025.

Ravens Discussing Lamar Jackson Extension, Eyeing Second Derrick Henry Contract

March 31st, 2025 at 9:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Lamar Jackson‘s 2023 Ravens extension helped set the market at the time, and as less accomplished quarterbacks have surpassed him in terms of average annual value, it has not been difficult to see the leverage even capable QB1s possess presently. Much more than merely a capable starter, Jackson has three seasons remaining on the deal he signed in April 2023.

That contract took the Ravens and Jackson more than two years to finalize, but it helped a few inferior quarterbacks receive higher AAVs. Jackson exited the 2024 season as the NFL’s ninth-highest-paid QB, and the Ravens saw the Bills take care of Josh Allen despite the reigning MVP’s previous deal running well into the late 2020s. It appears Baltimore is fine following suit.

Teams rarely add years to a player’s deal when three are remaining on it, but Jackson is certainly one of the NFL’s top players. It appears the Ravens are ready to update his contract, as head coach John Harbaugh confirmed internal conversations about a new deal have taken place this offseason (video link). Jackson, 28, still has guaranteed money remaining on his extension. Those guarantees stretch into 2026, but being proactive would benefit the Ravens.

As things stand, Jackson is due to carry a cap charge of $43.5MM next season, keeping in line with the incremental jumps it has seen since his deal was signed. For the 2026 and ’27 campaigns, however, he is scheduled to count for $74.5MM on the Ravens’ cap sheet. Lowering those totals – while, in all likelihood, creating immediate breathing room as well – could be achieved via another extension. Harbaugh did not provide specifics on a timeline, but added a deal will likely get done at some point this offseason.

Extension candidates on Baltimore’s roster include former first-rounders Odafe Oweh, Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum. Oweh’s 2025 fifth-year option was picked up last year, and it would come as no surprise if the team took the same route with Hamilton and Linderbaum. Extensions with one or more members of that tandem could very well be in store, and ascending tight end Isaiah Likely is also entering the final year of his rookie contract. Working out a third Jackson accord would help create cost certainty over the short-term future as Ravens aim to keep as many members of their young core in place as possible.

Harbaugh also said on Monday (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec) he would welcome a Derrick Henry extension. The All-Pro running back joined Baltimore on a two-year deal last offseason, and his debut campaign produced 2,114 scrimmage yards (the second-highest figure of his career) and 18 total touchdowns (which matched his personal high). An extension was raised as a possibility in the wake of the team’s divisional round loss, and Henry has since publicly stated his desire to finish his career in Baltimore.

The 31-year-old has already been paid out a $1MM roster bonus, and he is due a $6MM base salary for 2025. Henry’s scheduled cap charge of just under $12.9MM is more than double what it was last year, and it could be lowered by an extension. Baltimore entered Monday with nearly $12MM in cap space, but the team’s financial breathing space could increase in the relatively near future if new agreements on the Jackson and/or Henry fronts were to be reached.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

John Harbaugh: Ravens Expect To Retain TE Mark Andrews

March 31st, 2025 at 4:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mark Andrews‘ Ravens future has been a talking point this offseason. The All-Pro tight end has one year remaining on his current deal, and a $4MM roster bonus was recently paid out.

Baltimore is not looking to trade Andrews, although the possibility looms at this point. The 29-year-old has spent his entire career with the Ravens, developing a strong rapport with fellow 2018 draftee Lamar Jackson. That tenure could come to an end, but the latest update on the matter points to Andrews remaining in place for 2025.

“Mark’s in a good place. He’s working really hard,” head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday (via the team’s website). “I do fully expect him to be playing for us next year. He’s just too good a player.”

Andrews has missed considerable time only once during his career, and he has consistently operated as an effective red zone target. The former third-rounder has amassed 51 touchdowns, the most in franchise history. His $14MM-per-year extension was welcomed when it was signed in 2021, but it remains to be seen if another financial commitment will be made on the team’s part. As things stand, Andrews is due to carry a cap charge of $16.91MM next year.

Duplicating that figure (more or less) on a new deal could prove to be challenging as the Ravens plan for second contacts at a number of positions. The team’s list of extension-eligible players includes fellow tight end Isaiah Likely, who has shown strong signs of development over the course of his young career. One year remains on Likely’s rookie deal, and the same is true of tight end/special teamer Charlie Kolar.

Andrews’ postseason struggles – which include but are not limited to his fumble and dropped two-point conversion in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ divisional round loss – have been cited as a reason a trade could be in store. Based on Harbaugh’s remarks, though, he remains on track to again handle a key role on offense in 2025.

Ravens Extend HC John Harbaugh

March 28th, 2025 at 10:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

John Harbaugh‘s lengthy Baltimore stint will continue for the foreseeable future. The Ravens announced on Friday that a three-year extension has been worked out with the Super Bowl-winning head coach.

2025 had previously represented the final year of Harbaugh’s contract, making this offseason one to target another long-term commitment on the team’s part. The 62-year-old now has a new deal in place through 2028, and he will continue on the sidelines as part of the Ravens’ ongoing bid to secure a third Super Bowl title. Harbaugh has been Baltimore’s head coach since 2008.

Financial terms are not known, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports this pact is worth more than the one Harbaugh’s brother Jim signed with the Chargers last offseason. The latter is earning $16MM per year, so John has certainly landed a lucrative commitment from the Ravens once again.

His arrival coincided with that of quarterback Joe Flacco, who operated as the Ravens’ starter for nearly 11 years. Midway through the 2018 campaign, a knee injury sidelined Flacco and opened the door for then-rookie Lamar Jackson to move to the top of the depth. He has not lost the QB1 role since, and Harbaugh has been a central figure overseeing Baltimore’s transition from one signal-caller to the other.

The early portion of the Flacco era included a number of deep postseason runs and was highlighted by Baltimore’s Super Bowl XLVII success. At the time Jackson took over, though, the Ravens were in the midst of a three-year playoff drought. Questions about Harbaugh’s job security had picked up as a result, but a quick turnaround to close out the campaign set the stage for what has been a strong run of regular season performances. In five of six seasons since the 2019 campaign, Baltimore has posted double-digit wins.

The lone exception in that stretch (which includes two instances of a league-best regular season record) is the 2021 season in which Jackson and many other key players dealt with major injuries. Overall, Harbaugh’s winning percentage sits at .623. His 172 wins place him 15th in NFL history and rank third amongst active head coaches. One of the two ahead of him in the latter regard – Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin – is the only coach with a longer active tenure on the sidelines of one team.

While the Ravens have enjoyed considerable regular season success under Harbaugh, a repeat of his earlier playoff runs has proven to be elusive for several years. Jackson’s tenure as the starting quarterback has produced a pair of MVP nods but only one trip to the AFC title game to date. Since the Super Bowl victory to conclude the 2012 campaign, Harbaugh and the Ravens have gone 4-7 in the playoffs. Despite that mark, Baltimore will have continuity on the sidelines moving forward.

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken – who has been in place for the past two years – inked an extension of his own last month, taking himself off the head coaching market for the time being. On the defensive side of the ball, Zach Orr is in the fold after taking over in 2024. Those two will be counted on to play a key role in continuing Baltimore’s run of strong showings during the regular season while attempting to break through in the AFC playoff picture; the same is now true of Harbaugh.

Ravens Sign CB Chidobe Awuzie

March 25th, 2025 at 12:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chidobe Awuzie‘s Titans stay lasted one season, as the team took on some dead money to move on from a player given a healthy guarantee in 2024. Awuzie has found a new home.

Set to return to the AFC North, the former Bengals cornerback signed with the Ravens on Tuesday. The team announced Awuzie, an eight-year veteran, is Baltimore-bound. It is a one-year deal.

Although the market for third CB contracts reset thanks to the deals handed out to Charvarius Ward, Carlton Davis, D.J. Reed and Byron Murphy earlier this month, that group had seen three previous vets — Awuzie, Darius Slay, James Bradberry — jettisoned. Awuzie’s came after he had signed a three-year, $36MM deal that came with $19MM guaranteed at signing. The Titans (again) changed GMs this offseason and shed that contract from their payroll, incurring a $12.51MM dead money hit in the process.

The Ravens let 2024 starter Brandon Stephens walk in free agency, where he received a somewhat surprising three-year, $36MM Jets contract — one that came with $22.98MM guaranteed at signing. Never viewed as likely to pay Stephens in that range, the Ravens are adding a proven veteran on the cheap. As the Titans will be paying most of Awuzie’s salary, minus what will likely be a veteran-minimum Ravens pact that will subtract from Tennessee’s dead money total (via offset language), Baltimore will bet on Awuzie bouncing back from another season-altering injury.

A groin injury sustained in Week 3 kept Awuzie out nine games. The Titans had paired the former second-round pick with high-end trade acquisition L’Jarius Sneed, but the duo barely played together. Sneed also missed most of his first Titans season. While Tennessee will hope Sneed bounces back, Awuzie will aim to do so in Baltimore. Awuzie, who also has an ACL tear on his medical sheet, will turn 30 in May.

Awuzie will enter the 2025 season having made 81 career starts. The Cowboys let the 6-foot boundary corner walk in 2021, leading to a Bengals commitment (three years, $21.75MM). The Colorado alum suffered an ACL tear on Halloween 2022, after having started for Cincinnati’s Super Bowl LVI-bound team, and did not solidify his job upon returning in 2023. Awuzie, however, recaptured a Bengals starting post down the stretch in 2023; that led to the Titans’ lucrative investment in a player PFR ranked as the No. 39 free agent last year.

Pro Football Focus ranked Awuzie as a top-15 corner in 2021 and had him near that level before his 2022 injury. After an inconsistent 2023 season, PFF slotted Awuzie 61st during his injury-interrupted Titans campaign. As far as coverage numbers, Awuzie was viewed (via Pro-Football-Reference) as improving on his 2023 numbers. He allowed a 57.7% completion rate as the closest defender and 7.2 yards per target, working out to an 89.7 passer rating in coverage. The Ravens will give Awuzie a shot to start alongside Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins, with 2024 draftee T.J. Tampa looming in a potential competition.

Ravens Willing To Trade TE Mark Andrews?

March 23rd, 2025 at 11:22am CST by Rory Parks

Although Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has not been previously named as a trade candidate, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic says Baltimore could look to move the three-time Pro Bowler despite seeing his $4MM roster bonus trigger last week. It does not sound as if the club is actively marketing Andrews, and Zrebiec says it would take a “legit offer” to pry him from the Ravens, but it is nonetheless notable that the team is even open to the possibility.

Andrews, 29, entered the NFL in the same year as quarterback Lamar Jackson, as the Ravens selected the Oklahoma product in the third round of the 2018 draft. He has been one of Jackson’s most trusted targets from the jump, establishing himself as one of the league’s premier pass-catching tight ends in the process. He also holds the franchise record for most receiving touchdowns (51) and is close to overtaking Derrick Mason for most receiving yards in franchise history (5,777). He is entering the final year of the four-year, $56MM extension he signed in September 2021.

Even as Baltimore has added more talent to the WR and TE positions over the past few years, Andrews has remained a key cog in the offense and even set a career-high in touchdowns (11) in 2024. The team has not advanced to the Super Bowl in the Jackson era but is constructed to make another playoff push in 2025, and removing Andrews from its offensive attack would seemingly run counter to those aspirations (his costly errors in this year’s divisional-round loss to the Bills notwithstanding).

Of course, the Ravens would not seek to move on from Andrews simply because of his missteps in the Buffalo contest. Instead, any trade would presumably be designed to acquire notable draft capital to inject more cost-controlled talent into the roster, which is a goal for any club with a top-of-the-market QB contract on its books.

Plus, fellow tight end Isaiah Likely – who is nearly five years younger than Andrews – has proven himself to be a highly-effective weapon and is (like Andrews) entering a platform year. In addition to netting about $5MM of cap space in 2025, trading Andrews could pave the way for a Likely extension while extracting more value from Andrews than a future compensatory pick (if he were allowed to leave in free agency in 2026, that is).

Zrebiec says Baltimore was never going to release Andrews, and he does not specify what type of offer would convince Ravens brass to pull the trigger on a trade. After he was rumored as an extension candidate last year, though, it presently appears as if Andrews’ future with his original club is murkier than expected.

Ronnie Stanley Addresses Decision To Re-Sign With Ravens

March 17th, 2025 at 3:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

After agreeing to a pay cut last offseason, Ronnie Stanley delivered a strong campaign and set himself up for a healthy free agent market. The Pro Bowl left tackle wound up re-signing with the Ravens before the start of the league year, however, a move he spoke about on Monday.

“I was going to give Baltimore the best bargain that I would offer to any other team,” Stanley said (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). “That being said, I wanted to be happy with what I’m making and make sure I’m getting the value that I deserve.”

The former No. 6 pick has spent his entire career in Baltimore, and his tenure is set to continue on a three-year, $60MM pact. $44MM of that total is guaranteed and will be paid out across the 2025 and ’26 seasons, a notable amount and one not far from the top of the left tackle market. Stanley could very well have landed a more lucrative deal with an outside suitor given the nature of the free agent class, but he added he never reached the point of seriously considering such a move (h/t Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic).

Stanley inked a five-year, $98.75MM extension in 2020, but ankle and knee injuries kept him sidelined for extended stretches while playing out that pact. The Notre Dame product played only six games in 2020 and one the following year. Questions related to his durability remained after he missed another 10 contests from 2022-23. As this past campaign showed, though, the former All-Pro is still capable of playing at a high level when on the field. Team and player will hope his fully healthy campaign in 2024 will be repeated moving forward.

Baltimore selected Roger Rosengarten in the second round of last year’s draft as a potential Stanley successor in the future. He wound up operating as the Ravens’ right tackle starter last year, and that setup is in place to continue for the time being. If the Ravens are to duplicate last year’s success on offense (No. 1 yards, No. 3 in scoring), Stanley – who turns 31 tomorrow – will no doubt play a key role up front.

Many of the remaining O-line dominoes around the league have fallen during the opening days of free agency, although a number of teams still face questions at the position right now. Stanley would have addressed the blindside for a team prepared to make a sizable offer, but his comments confirm such a scenario was never in the cards.

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