Pro Football Rumors
Ronnie Stanley put together the healthiest season of his career in 2024, rebuilding his value after length absences over the previous four seasons just in time to hit free agency.
The Ravens, however, may not let him reach the open market. Re-signing the veteran left tackle will be a “priority” for Baltimore, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. Tagging Stanley is theoretically an option, but such a route would present multiple obstacles for the Ravens.
To start, the team is currently projected to have just under $6MM in 2025 cap space, per OverTheCap. For offensive linemen, the franchise tag is projected to be $25.2MM with a transition tag of $22.7MM. The Ravens can free up the space to absorb a tag, but that would still force them to cut other players and/or push more money into the future.
The Ravens may want to tag Stanley to give themselves more time to reach an agreement on a multi-year contract like they did with Lamar Jackson and Nnamdi Madubuike. However, negotiating with Stanley on the tag would likely set his asking price above what the team is willing to pay. Even with the lower transition tag, Stanley would be set for $22.7MM in fully-guaranteed money in 2025, after which he could hit free agency or be tagged again. A second tag would cost the Ravens $27.4MM in 2026, which could make Stanley’s extension demands reach $50MM over two years, far above his expected value on the open market.
Ultimately, a contract similar to the ones signed by Garett Bolles, Dion Dawkins, and Taylor Decker in 2024 would represent a solid deal for Stanley after he took a pay cut last year. The Ravens could continue their use of void years to prorate money into the future and minimize Stanley’s cap burden in 2025. That would allow them to pursue additional free agents to shore up their secondary with Brandon Stephens expected to hit the open market in March.
