The Ravens’ offense has been hampered by quarterback Lamar Jackson’s injuries over the past two seasons.
But the club has also not had a healthy left tackle in Ronnie Stanley for several years.
Stanley suffered a season-ending ankle injury midway through the 2020 season and it limited him to just one game in 2021. Stanley then played 11 games last season.
But as the team enters 2023, Stanley is healthier than he’s been in a long time.
“The majority of my time the past couple of years has been spent on rehab — 80 percent of that offseason time, probably, and 20 percent on training,” Stanley said in his Wednesday press conference. “So, I’ve been able to really put most of my time on training and building and getting stronger, getting more endurance. And just becoming an overall better athlete has been a big difference for me.
“This is as good as I’ve felt since 2019, preseason 2020.”
That’s good news for a Ravens offense that’s transitioning to a new scheme under coordinator Todd Monken. It also is good news for Jackson, who should be better protected with a healthy Stanley on the field.
When Jackson won MVP in 2019, Stanley was a first-team All-Pro. If the Ravens have both Jackson and Stanley on the field full-time in 2023, the club should be in a strong position to compete in the AFC.
