Ronnie Stanley Pinpoints How Ravens Will Fix Offensive Line

The Baltimore Ravens franchise left tackle pointed out the biggest area of improvement his unit needs to make in order for the team as a whole to succeed.

Jun 10, 2025; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) looks on during an NFL OTA at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After overcoming a rocky start and rounding into a strength down the stretch of the 2024 season, expectations were high for the Baltimore Ravens' offensive line heading into last year's campaign, especially since they were returning 4-of-5 starters.

Despite having a lot of continuity along the starting lineup, including a pair of Pro Bowlers, the unit woefully failed to pick up where they left off and build on a strong finish to the year before. According to left tackle Ronnie Stanley, they regressed significantly in a specific area that had a cascade effect: consistency.

"I think we just need to be more consistent," Stanley said. "We showed a lot of flashes, and there were a lot of games where we really controlled the game. But, there are a lot of inconsistencies throughout the season. I think that is something that we can [improve]."

While the Ravens still managed to produce a top-three rushing attack for the eighth year in a row, their inability to consistently execute on the ground in short-yardage and near the goal line caused their red-zone offense to plummet. They went from first in touchdown conversion rate in 2024 at 74.2% to a tie for the fifth-worst at 47.5%.

The most detrimental impact the unit's lack of consistency had on the offense came in pass protection. They failed to keep franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson clean and upright at some of the most inopportune moments, often with embarrassing whiffed blocking attempts. As a result, the two-time league MVP had the most injury-plagued season of his career, missing four games and being noticeably limited and less explosive than usual in several others.

Ravens reinvestment is poised to pay major dividends

Jul 29, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens guard John Simpson (74) during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

General manager Eric DeCosta made the upgrading and fortification of the trenches one of his top priorities during the offseason and delivered on both sides of the ball through free agency and the draft. Stanley and right tackle Roger Rosengarten are the lone returning starters from last year's lackluster unit, meaning they'll be replacing a trio of starters for the second time in three seasons, except this time it's all along the interior.

In free agency, they signed veteran centers Ethan Pocic and Danny Pinter to compete for the job as three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum's replacement after getting outbid for him by the Las Vegas Raiders. They also brought back veteran left guard John Simpson, who played next to Stanley during his first stint in Baltimore when he broke out in 2023.

"He is a great player [and a] great guy," Stanley said. "I love his energy. He brings his energy to the room every day. He is always in an upbeat mood; it does not matter what time it is. It has been great."

With their first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Ravens picked consensus top guard prospect Olaivavega Ioane at No. 14 overall out of Penn State to replace Daniel Faalele as their new starting right guard. As a former top 15 pick himself, Stanley knows what it's like to be taken that high and be expected to be a plug-and-play starter from Day 1 and has been impressed with how the first-year pro has comported himself thus far at the professional level.

"Vega's been great," Stanley said. "I see everything I want to see from a pro, especially an early draft pick and an offensive lineman. He comes in, and he is all about his business. He looks like a seasoned vet out there. I am not worried about him one bit."

First-year head coach Jesse Minter has expressed a belief that the offensive line is the unit that drives the team because if they can dominate at the line of scrimmage, they can dictate and control the pace of play for the most part. Having that level of importance and belief from the top really resonates with the players, who agree with that sentiment.

"It means a lot because I truly believe the same thing," Stanley said. "Offensive line — I think a lot of the team, whether they know it or not, they look to the offensive line for encouragement [and] leadership.

"For a head coach to embody that same mentality, I think, says a lot, especially for a defensive head coach to embody that mentality. I think it says a lot to [Minter's] understanding and knowledge of the game within the game."