The Baltimore Ravens had many tough decisions this offseason with a salary cap and players like Patrick Queen, Geno Stone, Odell Beckham Jr, and others leaving the Ravens this offseason, some people like Ronnie Stanley have stayed.
Despite being a huge cap hit for Baltimore and having many injuries over the last few seasons, designating Stanley as a post-June 1 cut could’ve saved them $15 million. Instead, the Ravens reworked Stanley’s contract to reduce his cap hit for the final year, but also keep him in the fold for his ninth season in Baltimore.
Ronnie Stanley explains his decision to rework his contract to stay in Baltimore, and only now be on a one-year deal with the team.
“I just wouldn’t have personally felt good about leaving Baltimore on that note. 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,” Stanley told Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. “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. It would be something that I would think about when I’m older.”
With all the injuries Stanley has dealt with recently, it would’ve been very easy to call it quits and move on. Back-to-back season-ending ankle injuries in 2020 and 2021, as well as multiple smaller injuries since then, take a heavy toll on the body. However, the 30-year-old remains just as committed to the game as always.
No, 100 percent, I want to keep playing. 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. But there could be three more years on my deal and I’d still feel the same. 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.”
John Harbaugh is excited about Ronnie Stanley for this upcoming season.
“I don’t really remember 2020. It seems so long ago. That whole year was just a blimp, just gone. Does anybody remember 2020? Apparently, Ronnie [Stanley] does, and it was a good year for Ronnie. [It was] a bad year for everybody else but a good year for Ronnie. Where are we going with this?” (laughter) “Ronnie’s doing a good job. He got in shape, it looks like. He’s ready to go. It’s exciting. I love Ronnie. I love who he is – his personality – but I also love what he’s capable of doing on the football field. If we get Ronnie Stanley out there playing to that level, that would be wonderful.”
