The New England Patriots are set to have a golden opportunity to upgrade their roster this offseason thanks to their immense amount of cash to spend in available cap space. With over $125 million open on the books, this team tops the NFL in total cap space, positioning them perfectly to make a big splash in free agency if they desire.
And according to some recent developments from MassLive‘s Karen Guregian, the Patriots may have a laser focus set on a certain free agent hitting the open market next week.
Per Guregian, the Patriots’ “plan A” in free agency is to sign Baltimore Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley to help mitigate their offensive line issues from last season.
“Plan A is landing Ronnie Stanley, the best available free agent left tackle on the market. At age 30 – he turns 31 on March 18th – he’s getting on in years, but is still considered among the NFL’s better tackles,” Guregian wrote. “Plugging in Stanley, and having him nullify pass rushers on the left side would certainly help the mission of protecting Drake Maye.”
The Patriots had a bounty of concerns on the offensive line across the 2024 season. New England was tied for the fifth-most sacked team in the NFL at 52, resulting in consistent hiccups on the offensive end –– whether it was failing to provide proper pass protection for rookie Drake Maye, or getting the run game off on the right foot, neither seemed to come to form.
New England seems determined to get the trenches right this offseason, and a signing of Stanley would be a great way to do so.
Stanley has been an anchor on the Ravens offensive line since entering the league in 2016 and showed no signs of letting up in 2024. He started in all 17 of Baltimore’s showings to post a 79.6 pass block grade per PFF.
For a New England roster without an answer at left tackle, he makes for a strong candidate for the role, and the Patriots can provide the check to lure him into Foxborough.
Baltimore seems motivated to get a deal done for their long-term veteran. Considering Stanley’s tenure and the current state of the Ravens, that doesn’t seem too far out of the picture, but it won’t stop the Patriots from trying their hand at a shot to bring him in.
The Patriots can officially get their negotiations kicked off when free agency opens across the league at noon ET on Monday, March 10th.