Getty Ravens' All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley is carted off the field after suffering a season-ending injury in November 2020.
With just a few days before the start of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens just got some major news in the form of an injury update on All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Stanley “received a medical check-up recently and he’s on pace to be ready for 2022.” That would be a huge boost to a Ravens offense that has struggled to recapture its peak form from 2019 since Stanley went down with an ankle injury that ultimately robbed him of two consecutive seasons in November 2020.
“He’ll be monitored throughout the summer, but there is [optimism] he’ll be good to go,” continued Rapoport, who previously provided multiple updates on Stanley’s status throughout the 2021 season.
Stanley suffered his brutal injury just a few days after signing a massive contract extension with the Ravens that, at the time, made him the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman. He missed the rest of the 2020 season but worked hard throughout 2021 to get back to the field, eventually starting Baltimore’s first regular season game against the Las Vegas Raiders in September.
But after Stanley struggled in that game, it was revealed that he had suffered a setback to his ankle that required season-ending surgery for the second year in a row, throwing the Ravens’ offensive line into chaos. Ex-Pittsburgh Steeler Alejandro Villanueva valiantly tried to hold down the fort at left tackle – though Ravens fans were hardly please with his performance – while Patrick Mekari’s gritty play at right tackle helped earn him a contract extension in December.
Ravens Could Still Target OT in Draft
The Ravens have been heavily-linked with several offensive tackles in the 2022 draft class, including multiple likely first-rounders, even after signing Morgan Moses to a three-year deal during free agency in March. While Moses can lock down the right side, the Ravens still don’t have a clear answer at left tackle if Stanley is unable to return from his injury.
North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu is an ideal fit for the Ravens’ gap-power rushing scheme and comes out of college with more than 2,000 snaps at left tackle under his belt. But he’s expected to go in the top five, likely keeping him out of Baltimore’s range even if they use some of their extra Day 2 and 3 picks to trade up into the top 10.
A more likely option could be Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning, who has been linked with the Ravens throughout the draft process. He was mocked to Baltimore back in November 2021, and again after the Senior Bowl in February, with a powerful blocking style and a nasty streak that Ravens coaches and fans alike will appreciate.
Ravens Draft Strategy Likely Unchanged
But with increased optimism about Stanley’s ability to play in 2022, the Ravens may be free to go after the best player available instead of reaching for a tackle.
However, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, the update to Stanley’s injury status has changed the Ravens’ draft plans “not one bit.”
In fact, Zrebiec previously posted on April 25 that the Ravens “really like” Penning, indicating that he could end up in Baltimore regardless of Stanley’s health.