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Baltimore Ravens: Is Ronnie Stanley Ready For the Pressure?

By Nick Ziegler

Jun 14, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) and guard/tackle Marshal Yanda (73) walk across the field during the first day of minicamp sessions at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 14, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) and guard/tackle Marshal Yanda (73) walk across the field during the first day of minicamp sessions at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Ravens have parted ways with Eugene Monroe, and that means Ronnie Stanley will have a lot of pressure in 2016.

The decision to release Eugene Monroe didn’t come as too much of a surprise on Wednesday, as the Baltimore Ravens were actively shopping the veteran tackle. This offseason, the organization was expecting to have a position battle at left tackle between Monroe and Ronnie Stanley, but Stanley is now the last man standing.

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As the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Stanley will be coming into the NFL with some high expectations, but those expectations will be even greater now that is a projected Week 1 starter at left tackle.

“I was talking to some people saying this is probably the first time ever that I’ve felt this kind of pressure. I’ve never really felt pressure like that before,” Stanley said to Ryan Mink of the team’s website. “It’s something I know that I can handle and it’s just part of the transition to the NFL. It’s a production business and that’s the way it’s always going to be.”

The quarterback position is regarded as the most important position on the field in the NFL, but even a great quarterback needs to be well-protected to succeed. Joe Flacco has had a lot of success in the NFL as a Super Bowl Champion, but he is not known for his ability to elude pass-rushers.

When given the time, Flacco has one of the strongest arms in the NFL and can throw the ball a mile down the field. It will now be Stanley’s job to try and keep the premier pass-rushers in the NFL away from the blindside of Flacco.

The Ravens have a veteran offensive line surrounding Stanley for the upcoming season, which will be a great tool for the rookie to use. Before he was released, Monroe was also helping Stanley get adjusted to life in the NFL.

"“It feels good in the sense that this organization has put its faith in me, but Eugene has been nothing but a great resource and great mentor for me, and you never like to see a guy lose a job,” Stanley said to Mink."

The decision to move forward with Stanley shows a lot of faith in the rookie from Notre Dame, who wasn’t projected to be the first tackle taken in the draft.

“Ronnie has come in here and picked things up,” Offensive Coordinator Marc Trestman said to Mink. “He’s shown that he certainly has football intelligence to learn quickly, he doesn’t make very many mistakes, he’s extremely coachable, and his athleticism is showing on the field.”

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Unlike some rookies taken early in the first round, Stanley is in a well-run organization that has a good coaching staff and veteran leaders on both sides of the ball to help him grow. The poor record in 2015 was largely due to injuries on both offense and defense, as don’t expect to see the Ravens in the Top-10 of the NFL Draft in 2016.

The pressure is on for Stanley in 2016, and we will have to wait and see how the rookie can handle being a left tackle in the NFL.

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