Analyst: Ravens Made Offseason's Best Move

The Baltimore Ravens had a strong free agency period thanks to one move in particular.

Oct 23, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to throws as offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) blocks Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens haven't done a whole lot during free agency, but their first move certainly had the most impact.

Before the beginning of the league's legal tampering period, the Ravens re-signed Ronnie Stanley to a three-year deal, fortifying their left tackle spot and protecting MVP runner-up Lamar Jackson's blindside.

The move earned praise from ESPN analyst Ben Solak, who called it the best move of the offseason so far.

"Right before free agency, Baltimore kept one of the best possible free agents in the building when it re-signed Stanley to a three-year, $60 million extension -- far less than he would have made on the open market," Solak writes.

"The Ravens remain in a competing window given the MVP-caliber play of quarterback Lamar Jackson and could not let a franchise left tackle leave without a succession plan in place."

The move will keep the Ravens offensive line among one of the best in the NFL, and most importantly, it will make the likelihood of Jackson being sacked very low. Jackson was only sacked 26 times in the 2024 season, which is an average of just over 1.5 times per game. That ranked 24th in the NFL in a tie with Denver Broncos rookie Bo Nix, who also made the playoffs in the AFC.

Team success can oftentimes be directly correlated to how often a quarterback gets sacked, especially when it comes to a player like Jackson, who does so much with the ball in the air and on the ground.

Re-signing Stanley gives the Ravens the best chance possible to allow Jackson to continue making plays for the offense and trying to bring the team to new heights.

With Stanley on board, the Ravens can now look to target interior offensive lineman in next month's draft.

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