During the 2023 season, Ronnie Stanley struggled with a lingering knee injury, limiting his ability to play at full strength and causing him to miss games. As he faced uncertain prospects in free agency, the veteran Ravens left tackle decided to revise his contract to stay with Baltimore for 2024. 
In March, Stanley and the Ravens reached an agreement on a restructured deal, with the 30-year-old reducing his base salary and lowering his cap hit. The contract includes incentives and bonuses to help him recover the reduced money, but it also designates 2024 as the final non-void year of the deal, setting Stanley up as a pending free agent for the upcoming season. When discussing his situation, Stanley shared his thoughts on accepting a pay cut.
“I just wouldn’t have personally felt good about leaving Baltimore on that note,” expressed Stanley in a conversation with The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. “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 significant aspect of the Ravens’ revamped offensive line will be the performance of Stanley, who earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in 2019. He has struggled with injuries to his ankle and knee since then, leaving the Ravens vulnerable on the left side and raising concerns about their long-term plans for the position. With the addition of Roger Rosengarten in the second round of the latest draft, Baltimore could see him step into the starting right tackle role early in his rookie season. If Stanley were to depart in the upcoming season, Rosengarten, who protected left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in college, could be a potential replacement on the left side. However, Stanley does not view 2024 as his final NFL season.
“No, 100 percent, I want to keep playing,” affirmed the Notre Dame alum. “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 successful and injury-free season for Stanley, who mentioned his knee has been improving during the offseason, could positively impact his value as a free agent, whether it’s on a new deal with the Ravens or with a new team for the first time in his career. Given the changes Baltimore has seen on the offensive line, having Stanley as a consistent presence on the left side could help the team move past last year’s AFC title game defeat.
