Baltimore Beatdown
The Ravens are entering the 2025 offseason with multiple major roster needs and a tight salary cap. Here are the biggest questions facing general manager Eric DeCosta
The Ravens are entering the 2025 offseason with the same primary task as the last few: retaining key players while adding enough talent to put the roster over the top next season. Unlike the last four years, general manager Eric DeCosta isn’t dealing with a major trade request or long-term contract extension. Instead, he has to find ways to upgrade the roster with a tight cap situation and yet another late first-round pick. Here are the three biggest questions he must answer this offseason.
The Ravens do not currently have a left tackle with significant college or NFL experience under contract for 2025. Not great! Barring a surprising move elsewhere on the roster, this is Baltimore’s biggest need heading into the offseason.
Option 1: Ronnie Stanley
Stanley took a pay cut last March and rebuilt his value with a solid 2024 season. Crucially, he started all 19 games (including the postseason) and held up in pass protection throughout the year. Stanley still isn’t at his pre-injury level of dominance, but his floor of reliable play at left tackle is extremely hard to find. Re-signing him is the clearest path forward for the Ravens.
Option 2: Veteran FA Signing
Stanley isn’t the only left tackle set to hit free agency. Alaric Jackson has quietly been very effective for the Rams over the last two years. The 26-year-old could hold down the starting LT gig in Baltimore for a few years. The remaining options, however, have a mix of age, health, and talent concerns. Any option would likely be a stopgap as the Ravens continue to search for a long-term answer.
Option 3: Roger Rosengarten
DeCosta already mentioned Rosengarten’s potential to flip to the left side during his end-of-season press conference. The 2024 second-rounder was entrusted to protect the blind side of left-handed QB Michael Penix Jr. at Washington, but he barely has any experience at left tackle. He’d have another season of growing pains while the Ravens try to find yet another right tackle. It’s risky, but remains an option if the LT market is too hot.
(Unlikely) Option 4: First-Round Pick
The Ravens have the 27th overall pick in the draft and DeCosta has a well-documented aversion to trading up. Finding starting-caliber left tackle talent is near-impossible out of the top 20 picks, so don’t count on Baltimore entrusting Lamar Jackson’s blind side to a rookie.
At the moment, the Ravens are projected to have just under $6 million in cap space this offseason, per OverTheCap. With cap adjustments and a potential RFA tag for Ar’Darius Washington, the team could be $2.28 million over the 2025 cap when the new league year starts. according to Brian McFarland of Russell Street Report....
