Ronnie Stanley

Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley Addresses Pay Cut, Playing Future

June 25th, 2024 at 9:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the 2023 season, Ronnie Stanley dealt with a lingering knee injury which kept him from playing at full health and added further to his missed time. The longtime Ravens left tackle faced an uncertain future entering free agency, but he agreed to a contract revision to remain in Baltimore for 2024.

Stanley and the Ravens agreed to a restructured pact in March, with the 30-year-old reducing his base salary and lowering his cap hit in the process. Incentives and bonuses are present to allow him to recoup that money, but the deal also included making 2024 the final non-void season of the pact. As a result, Stanley enters the coming campaign as a pending free agent. When speaking about his situation, he addressed his mindset regarding the pay cut.

“I just wouldn’t have personally felt good about leaving Baltimore on that note,” Stanley said of potentially being a cap casualty when speaking with The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). “I want to play here my whole career, but even if I’m saying I’ll play one more year for a lot less, it’s because, if this is my last year, I want to go out on a high note. I want to play at the level that I know I can play at. The time that I missed, it would be something that I would have regretted.”

A key factor for the Ravens’ new-look offensive line will be the play of Stanley, a Pro Bowl and All-Pro performer in 2019. He has missed considerable time since then due to ankle and knee injuries, something which has left the Ravens shorthanded on the blindside and led to questions about their long-term plans at the position. Baltimore selected Roger Rosengarten in the second round of this year’s draft, and he could take on the starting right tackle role as early as Week 1 of his rookie season. In the event Stanley were to depart on the open market next spring, Rosengarten – who protected southpaw quarterback Michael Penix Jr.‘s blindside in college – would be a candidate to replace him on the left side. Stanley does not see 2024 as his final NFL campaign, however.

“No, 100 percent, I want to keep playing,” the Notre Dame alum added. “There’s no doubt in my mind. For personal reasons, I view it as a [key] year. I want to personally refuse to have a year like last year… It’s not because it’s the last year on my deal. It’s more because as a competitor, I don’t like not playing to my capability.”

A healthy season from Stanley – who noted his knee has continued to improve this offseason – would help his free agent stock either on a new Ravens pact or a deal sending him elsewhere for the first time in his career. Given the turnover Baltimore has experienced up front, a consistent presence on the blindside would help the team take a step further from last year’s AFC title game loss.

Latest On Ravens’ Offensive Line

June 7th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens’ offensive line is set to look very different from the group that started throughout their 14-3 campaign last year. Baltimore was home to the league’s MVP winner and top rushing offense thanks in part due to the contributions of right tackle Morgan Moses (now with the Jets), right guard Kevin Zeitler (now with the Lions), and left guard John Simpson (also with the Jets). With the departures of Moses, Zeitler, and Simpson, the team needed to address three starting positions along the offensive front this offseason.

The Ravens will see a few familiar faces return to start in 2024. Tyler Linderbaum, who has excelled since being drafted in the first round in 2022, will return with two years and a fifth-year option remaining on his contract. He has been the top-billed center as advertised, grading in the top seven players at the position each year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Ronnie Stanley also returns at left tackle. The blindside blocker’s inability to stay on the field continued in 2023, though with marked improvement. Though he made 13 starts last year, he only played 100 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in four of those games, often subbing out to be replaced by swing tackle Patrick Mekari.

Mekari returns, as well, set to reprise his usual role as the sixth man on the offensive line. At this point in his career, the veteran Cal product has started games at every position along the offensive line, often grading out better than the players he replaces. Mekari’s value as an emergency starter at any position makes it hard to dedicate him to a single starting spot, but at the end of the day, Baltimore is going to want to start its five best linemen.

To fill the three starting positions vacated, the Ravens are looking internally at draft picks from the past four years. At right tackle, rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten is expected to start at some point this year, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN, a bit more certain of a prediction than we had previously received on the subject. The Washington product will compete for the job with 2022 fourth-round selection Daniel Faalele. Faalele has only seen one start in his two years of play, but thanks to the continuous injuries to veterans like Stanley and Moses, Faalele has gotten a good number of injury-relief snaps with the first-team offense.

The drafted players competing for the two guard spots are 2021 third-round pick Ben Cleveland and last year’s sixth- and seventh-round picks, respectively, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees. Cleveland has made starts in each year since getting drafted (seven starts total) but has failed to give Baltimore enough confidence to hand him the reins to the starting role. His starts have always come at the end of the season, usually when the team’s postseason fate has already been decided. In the team’s past two postseason appearances, Cleveland has failed to make a start despite staring the final games in each season.

Aumavae-Laulu and Vorhees are both interesting cases. Aumavae-Laulu was a finalist for the starting left guard job last offseason as a rookie, eventually losing out to Simpson. After not landing the gig, Aumavae-Laulu essentially served a redshirt season, failing to make an appearance in 2023. Vorhees joined Aumavae-Laulu in his redshirt season, recovering from an ACL tear suffered at the scouting combine last year. The USC product was widely viewed as a first- or second-round pick before the injury, allowing the Ravens to bookmark the seventh-rounder as an eventual candidate to start once healthy. Vorhees was also viewed as a candidate to start at right tackle before the draft, but with Rosengarten joining the locker room, Vorhees can likely focus on the interior.

There is at least one outside candidate vying for a starting role. Baltimore signed Josh Jones in free agency back in March as a potential competitor for a starting guard role. Jones has plenty of starting experience over his time with the Cardinals and Texans, starting 24 of 60 game appearances at both guard and tackle. Even if he can’t beat out Cleveland, Aumavae-Laulu, or Vorhees for a starting gig, he could join Mekari as one of two extremely versatile backups.

In the end, there is a lot to look forward to in offseason position battles. Linderbaum and Stanley seem fixed at their center and left tackle starting spots, respectively. Rosengarten should start at right tackle eventually, and if he’s not ready to start Week 1, Mekari, Faalele, Jones, or even Vorhees could man the spot in the meantime. The guard spots are mostly blind right now as the Ravens wait to see who develops into the roles best out of Cleveland, Aumavae-Laulu, Vorhees, and Jones. Expect it to be some combination of two of those four. And even if they fail to earn starting jobs, Mekari and Jones stand to represent two of the stronger backup options in the league and could fill in if any of the new starters falter early.

Regardless of who ends up where, the line is guaranteed to look extremely different in 2024. It will be up to offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, new assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton, and new run game coordinator Travis Switzer to make sure the line is as productive as last year’s unit. Having Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in the backfield should do wonders in helping towards achieving that goal, as well.

Ravens To Keep LT Ronnie Stanley On Reworked Contract

March 13th, 2024 at 9:05am CST by Sam Robinson

Ronnie Stanley‘s inability to stay on the field consistently put him in danger of cap-casualty status, but the Ravens have reached a resolution to retain their longtime left tackle.

Previously set to earn an $11MM base salary and count more than $26MM against Baltimore’s cap, Stanley has agreed to reduce his base number for the 2024 season, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. The Ravens will give Stanley a chance to earn that money back and more, presumably via incentives, on this reworking.

A central part of the Ravens’ high-powered offense when healthy, Stanley has seen his career path mirror David Bakhtiari‘s to a degree. Both All-Pros suffered major injuries shortly after agreeing to extensions in 2020. Stanley has been able to stay on the field more than the since-released Packers standout, but the 2016 first-round pick has battled injury issues throughout the 2020s. Since the 2020 setback, the Notre Dame alum has missed 35 games.

The Ravens gave Stanley a top-market extension following his 2019 first-team All-Pro campaign. The team has gone to the restructure well with its eight-year tackle, leading to a $26.2MM 2024 cap hit — behind only Lamar Jackson on the Ravens’ 2024 payroll. Stanley collecting $64.1MM fully guaranteed (on a five-year, $98.75MM deal) when he did proved pivotal, as the ankle injury he suffered in October 2020 has introduced additional setbacks down the line.

Stanley underwent three ankle surgeries from 2020-21, with the two ’21 operations leading to 16 missed games that year. Last season, Stanley missed time due to a knee injury. Pro Football Focus ranked the soon-to-be 30-year-old blocker just inside the top 40 at tackle last year. In 2022, ESPN’s run block win rate metric slotted Stanley seventh.

Stanley, Tyler Linderbaum and Morgan Moses are contracted for the 2024 season on the Ravens’ O-line, but once again, the team will need to replace a departed guard. John Simpson is heading to the Jets, while Kevin Zeitler is unsigned. The Ravens are interested in re-signing the 12-year veteran, and a new Zeitler deal will now be assured to address a still-Stanley-led O-line.

Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey Expected To Make Season Debut Tomorrow

October 7th, 2023 at 12:31pm CST by Ben Levine

Marlon Humphrey is expected to make his season debut tomorrow. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Ravens cornerback is expected to be active for tomorrow’s matchup against the Steelers. Humphrey was listed as questionable on the injury report.

Humphrey experienced foot pain during training camp and later underwent surgery. The Ravens decided against placing him on injured reserve, and there was some optimism he could return in mid-September. The veteran ended up needing four games to recover, but it sounds like he should be good to go after returning to practice earlier this week.

After missing only three games through his first four seasons in the NFL, Humphrey was limited to 12 games in 2021 thanks to a torn pectoral muscle. He was back in time for the 2022 campaign, starting all 17 games while grading as a top-15 cornerback (per Pro Football Focus). The Ravens made a sizable commitment to the cornerback in 2020, signing him to a five-year, $97.5MM extension.

With Humphrey sidelined and Marcus Peters out the door, the Ravens have mostly leaned on Brandon Stephens and Ronald Darby at cornerback, with Daryl Worley and Rock Ya-Sin sprinkled in. Offseason pickup Arthur Maulet made his season debut in Week 3 and then got into 64 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in Week 4. Humphrey will likely knock Darby down to CB3, with the rest of the depth chart competing for any leftover snaps.

There’s more good news on the injury front, with both offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. expected to return this weekend. Stanley hasn’t played since Week 1 after suffering a knee injury, while OBJ hasn’t seen the field since Week 2 while nursing an ankle injury.

Ravens Not Looking Externally For RB Help

September 11th, 2023 at 9:43pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens were forced to swallow a heavy pill when starting running back J.K. Dobbins suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the team’s win over the Texans this weekend. For solutions, many thought to look at the free agent or trade market, both of which are ripe with talented veterans, but head coach John Harbaugh said today that Baltimore will not be looking externally for running back help, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.

With options like Kareem Hunt and Leonard Fournette in free agency and a player like Jonathan Taylor reportedly available via trade, no one would blame Harbaugh and company for bringing in an experienced starter to tote the rock. Instead, the Ravens feel confident in the options they have in-house to take over with Harbaugh even indicating that they will be operating with a committee in the backfield.

When Dobbins exited Sunday’s game, fifth-year backup Justice Hill stepped in and immediately scored a touchdown, his first since the 2019 season. While he later scored a second touchdown, matching his career-high for a season, Hill only amassed nine yards on eight carries. Veteran backup rusher Gus Edwards, who has filled in as a starter at times in his career, was a bit more productive with his eight carries, racking up 32 yards.

Adding veterans didn’t quite deliver the desired result two years ago when Dobbins, Edwards, and Hill all missed the 2021 season with season-ending injuries before the year even began. That year, Baltimore turned to a committee featuring veteran backs like Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, and Le’Veon Bell in conjunction with Ty’Son Williams. Freeman and Murray each reached 500 rushing yards and delivered six scores apiece, but overall, the running game was dependent on quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Still, the Ravens added veteran rusher Melvin Gordon in the offseason, ultimately cutting him and signing him to the practice squad before the regular season. Gordon seems like an obvious callup to help carry the load without Dobbins. The Ravens also saw some impressive preseason performances from undrafted rookies Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright, landing both on the team’s roster in some capacity to start the year. Mitchell currently resides on injured reserve himself, so he’s unable to contribute at this time. Wright, though, landed on the practice squad and may also hear his number called up to the active roster this season.

Dobbins is now expected to undergo surgery to repair his Achilles tendon this Friday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Pelissero points out that Rams running back Cam Akers recovered from a similar surgery in less than six months two years ago. Dobbins will be aiming for a similar timeline, bringing him back shortly after the start of the 2024 league year.

In other injury news, Harbaugh confirmed that starting free safety Marcus Williams “will be out for a while” after suffering a pectoral muscle injury, according to Ravens editorial director Ryan Mink. Williams missed seven games in his Baltimore debut last year and will be forced to miss more in 2023, but the team is holding out hope that he will not be out for the season. He’ll be forced to make a decision soon on whether or not he will undergo surgery, as well.

In Williams’ absence, the team turned to Geno Stone yesterday. Stone started the seven games missed by Williams last year, as well. The team also has versatile defensive backs Brandon Stephens and Ar’Darius Washington that they can turn to. Stephens recently moved back to safety after spending time at cornerback when the depth chart was thin there. Washington has always been a safety but got extensive work in the slot this offseason.

Starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley and center Tyler Linderbaum suffered a sprained knee and ankle, respectively, forcing them both to leave the game early, as well. Both players are reportedly “week-to-week” but could miss the trip to Cincinnati this Sunday. Versatile sixth-man Patrick Mekari stepped in for Stanley yesterday and is an easy choice to start as an injury replacement as he’s done so often in the past. Offseason addition and practice squad callup Sam Mustipher filled in at center and will likely continue to do so, if needed.

The team will certainly hope that they won’t need to rely on Mekari and Mustipher for too long, and though they are clearly missing many bodies for the upcoming matchup with their division-rival, they’ll hope to get some back, too. Both cornerback Marlon Humphrey and tight end Mark Andrews will have a chance to play this weekend. There’s still work to be done, but things have been looking up recently for both players.

Largest 2023 Cap Hits: Offense

July 11th, 2023 at 3:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL’s salary cap once again ballooned by more than $10MM, rising from its $208.2MM perch to $224.8MM. Factoring in the pandemic-induced 2021 regression, the NFL’s salary risen has climbed by more than $42MM since 2021.

This has allowed teams more opportunities for roster additions and opened the door for more lucrative player deals — at most positions, at least. However, it does not look like this season will include a $40MM player cap number. The Browns avoided a record-shattering Deshaun Watson $54.9MM hit by restructuring the quarterback’s fully guaranteed contract, calling for monster figures from 2024-26.

Here are the largest cap hits for teams on the offensive side going into training camp:

Patrick Mahomes, QB (Chiefs): $39.69MM
Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): $36.6MM
Jared Goff, QB (Lions): $30.98MM
Jake Matthews, T (Falcons): $28.36MM
Trent Williams, T (49ers): $27.18MM
Dak Prescott, QB (Cowboys): $26.83MM
Laremy Tunsil, T (Texans): $26.61MM
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB (49ers): $23.8MM
Amari Cooper, WR (Browns): $23.78MM
Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $23.69MM
Ronnie Stanley, T (Ravens): $23.67MM
Joe Thuney, G (Chiefs): $22.12MM
Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $22MM
Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens): $22MM
Daniel Jones, QB (Giants): $21.75MM
David Bakhtiari, T (Packers): $21.29MM
Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $20.25MM
D.J. Moore, WR (Bears): $20.17MM
Matthew Stafford, QB (Rams): $20MM
Brian O’Neill, T (Vikings): $19.66MM
Taylor Decker, T (Lions): $19.35MM
Deshaun Watson, QB (Browns): $19.1MM
Braden Smith, T (Colts): $19MM
Josh Allen, QB (Bills): $18.64MM
Courtland Sutton, WR (Broncos): $18.27MM

As should be expected, quarterbacks dominate this list. Mahomes’ number checks in here despite the Chiefs restructuring his 10-year, $450MM contract in March; the two-time MVP’s cap hit would have set an NFL record had Kansas City not reduced it. The Chiefs did not restructure Mahomes’ deal last year, but if they do not address it — perhaps via a complex reworking — before next season, Mahomes’ $46.93MM number would break an NFL record.

The Titans have not touched Tannehill’s contract this offseason, one that included some trade rumors months ago. This is the final year of Tannehill’s Tennessee extension. Mahomes and Tannehill sat atop this ranking in 2022.

Cousins is also heading into a contract year, after the Vikings opted for a restructure and not an extension this offseason. Cousins does not expect to discuss another Minnesota deal until 2024, when he is due for free agency. Two relatively low cap numbers have started Wilson’s $49MM-per-year extension. The Denver QB’s cap number rises to $35.4MM in 2024 and reaches historic heights ($55.4MM) by ’25. The subject of a Goff extension has come up, and it would bring down the Lions passer’s figure. But Goff remains tied to his Rams-constructed $33.5MM-per-year deal through 2024.

Jackson and Jones’ numbers will rise in the near future, with the latter’s contract calling for a quick spike in 2024. Next year, the Giants QB’s cap hit will be $45MM. Watson’s 2024 hit, as of now, would top that. The Browns signal-caller is on the team’s ’24 payroll at $63.98MM. Long-term consequences aside, the Browns can be expected to once again go to the restructure well with Watson’s outlier contract.

The Raiders did not backload Garoppolo’s three-year contract; it only climbs to $24.25MM on Las Vegas’ 2024 cap sheet. The Bills did backload Allen’s pact. Its team-friendly years are done after 2023; the six-year accord spikes to $47.1MM on Buffalo’s cap next year. The Cowboys have gone to the restructure well with Prescott. Like Watson, the Cowboys quarterback is tied to a seemingly untenable 2024 cap number. The March restructure resulted in Prescott’s 2024 number rising to $59.46MM. Two seasons remain on that $40MM-AAV extension.

Another notable cap hold that should be mentioned is Tom Brady‘s. When the Buccaneers did not sign the again-retired QB to another contract before the 2023 league year, his $35.1MM dead-money figure went onto Tampa Bay’s 2023 cap sheet. The Bucs will absorb that entire amount this year. Brady’s 2022 restructure, after retirement No. 1, led to the $35.1MM figure forming.

Were it not for another O-line-record extension, the Tunsil number would have come in at $35MM this year. Matthews signed an extension last year. Moore would have come in higher on this list were he still on the Panthers, who took on $14.6MM in dead money to move their top wideout for the No. 1 overall pick. Sutton came up regularly in trade rumors, with the Broncos wanting a second-round pick for the sixth-year veteran. The former second-rounder’s high base salary ($14MM) hinders his trade value.

Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley To Play In Week 5

October 9th, 2022 at 10:18am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 9: Stanley is finally set to make his return. The 2019 First Team All-Pro will suit up for Baltimore’s Sunday night battle against the division-rival Bengals, per Rapoport and NFL Network colleague Mike Garafolo (Twitter link).

OCTOBER 2: Despite the optimism, Stanley is inactive for Week 4. Assuming there are no setbacks in the coming week, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic expects Stanley to return to the field for the Ravens’ Week 5 game against the Bengals (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 29: For more than one calendar year, the Ravens have been without their top offensive lineman, but that could change on Sunday. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley told reporters that he could make his season debut this week against the Bills (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

Rapoport notes that “everything [is] trending in the right direction,” a welcomed sign in Baltimore given the 28-year-old’s standard of play but also his lengthy absence. Ankle injuries have limited him to just one game played since October 2020 – the season opener last year. Weeks after that contest, he underwent a second straight season-ending procedure aimed at ensuring he would recover in full this year.

As he revealed during today’s media availability, Stanley actually had another “major surgery” in his lower body following the ankle operation. After being activated in August, the Notre Dame alum gradually resumed on-field work, but this is the first week in which he has practiced in full. As a result, he has expressed confidence about both his short- and long-term health.

“I feel way better than what I was when I played that first game last year,” Stanley said, via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “I’m in a way better place. I’m very optimistic, very confident about me getting back to where I want to be.”

A Week 4 return would also be perfectly timed considering Baltimore’s current tackle situation. Ja’Wuan James filled in for Stanley to start the season, but he suffered a torn Achilles during the team’s first game game. The Ravens’ next option, swingman Patrick Mekari, sprained his ankle last week and is likely to miss some time. Given the lack of depth, the team worked out veteran Ty Nsekhe this week as potential insurance.

A return to action – and All-Pro form – would solve the Ravens’ issue at the blindside position, though. It would also give both player and club confidence from a financial standpoint, as Stanley has $57MM due on the remainder of his five-year extension signed just before his injury troubles began. If he is unable to suit up on Sunday, fourth-round rookie Daniel Faalele will likely get the start at LT.

Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins Expected To Return For Week 3

September 24th, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens have gotten little production from the running back position so far in 2022, but the top member of their backfield will return tomorrow. J.K. Dobbins is set to play in Week 3 against the Patriots, reports NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).

That represents a significant development for Baltimore. Dobbins, 23, flashed considerable potential as a rookie in 2020. Taking over as the team’s lead back midseason, he ran for 805 yards and nine touchdowns. His 6.0 yards-per-carry figure led to considerable expectations heading into his second season, but they were put on hold when the Ohio State product suffered a season-ending knee injury.

In the absence of Dobbins – along with backup Gus Edwards, whose production and efficiency had him in line to operate as the team’s lead back until his own knee injury – Baltimore struggled on the ground last season. Relying on veterans Latavius Murray and Devonta Freeman, much of the team’s rushing figures came off of scrambles from quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. Likewise, Jackson has accounted for over 62% of the Ravens’ rushing totals through two weeks.

Dobbins originally insisted that he would be available to start the campaign, but the Ravens have understandably remained patient with his recovery. With Edwards guaranteed to miss at least the next two contests, Dobbins should have plenty of opportunities available to him. However, it is expected that he will be eased back into action while returning to game form. Dobbins will therefore likely rotate heavily with Kenyan Drake and Mike Davis for the time being.

In other injury news, the Ravens announced earlier today that left tackle Ronnie Stanley will not suit up. The All-Pro continues to deal with lingering ankle issues, and has yet to play this season. While Dobbins will therefore not have a full-strength offensive line in front of him tomorrow, bigger things can reasonably be expected for Baltimore’s ground attack as they look to bounce back from last week’s defeat.

Ravens LT Ja’Wuan James Suffers Torn Achilles

September 11th, 2022 at 5:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens entered today’s game without their starting left tackle, and exited it with their top replacement option unavailable as well. Ja’Wuan James left the contest due to an injury which head coach John Harbaugh has since announced is a torn Achilles (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo).

The news is a crushing blow for the 30-year-old. James’ appearance today was his first since 2019, as he had just made his way back from the Achilles tear which ended his time with the Broncos. After signing with the Ravens last offseason, there was a chance he would have been able to play, but he remained sidelined as 2022 insurance for All-Pro Ronnie Stanley.

The latter’s lingering ankle problems led to him being declared inactive yesterday. Stanley has played just one game since October 2020, and his absence was a significant contributor to the Ravens’ offensive line struggles last year. The team took steps to add both starting and depth options over the offseason, including retaining James despite his injury uncertainty. It was confirmed during the summer that James would be the primary backup on the blindside, even though his experience all-but exclusively came as a right tackle.

Free agent signing Morgan Moses manned that spot, and he is expected to do so despite James’ injury. Filling in for James was Patrick Mekari, who spent most of last season as a fill-in at RT while the Ravens dealt with Stanley’s absence. The former UDFA has proven himself an effective backup across the line, and will likely start at left tackle next week unless Stanley is able to return – something which the team now requires with even more urgency than before today.

Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley Ruled Out For Week 1

September 10th, 2022 at 1:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2022 Ravens should be healthier than their 2021 version, but they will begin the new campaign tomorrow still missing one of their key offensive players. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who had been listed as doubtful on yesterday’s injury report, has been ruled out of Baltimore’s season opener, per a team announcement.

Stanley continues to recover from the ankle injury which cut short his 2020 campaign and limited him to a single contest last season. The fact that he was activated from the PUP list last month left the door open to a Week 1 return, but he will not be with the team as they visit the Jets.

The 28-year-old played during the Ravens’ season opener last year, but ultimately had to be shut down after the third procedure he has undergone on the affected ankle. The team admitted earlier this offseason that Stanley was rushed back into action, so it comes as little surprise that a more cautious approach is being taken this year. He has only practiced three times following his activation, something which always made Week 2 (or later) a more realistic return date.

To replace Stanley, the Ravens will likely turn to Ja’Wuan James on the blindside, as noted by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley (Twitter link). That was reported to be the team’s contingency plan this summer, despite the fact that James has not seen the field since 2019. After his release from the Broncos, James signed with the Ravens last year with a faint hope that he would be able to return at some point in the season. As expected, he was ruled out, but the 30-year-old could provide solid play if he returns to his Dolphins form.

The left tackle spot will be an essentially foreign position for James, who has all-but exclusively played on the right side during his career. That role will go to free agent signing Morgan Moses, whom the team invested in to help solidify an offensive line which struggled considerably in 2021. The most important member of the unit will be a welcomed sight upon his return, but that will not happen for at least one more week.

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