The Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly eyeing Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley as a top free agent target for the 2025 NFL offseason after trading away guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears.
Chiefs’ Reported Interest in Ronnie Stanley
According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, speaking on KFNZ-FM The Fan 96.5 FM, the Chiefs have identified Stanley as a priority signing to bolster their offensive line. During a Dream Scenarios segment on The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast, former Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel suggested the Chiefs should target Stanley, despite the high price tag.
There’s only one player that makes sense for the Chiefs in free agency now that All-Pro Joe Thuney is gone…..Ronnie Stanley@DMRussini & I did a “Dream Scenario” segment on Scoop City Tuesday & while it was a joke….now it has to happen!
🎥: https://t.co/6eM5Ov7Urb pic.twitter.com/kRHMgEEqwE
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) March 5, 2025
At the time, Daniel’s dream scenario was wishful thinking, but trading guard Joe Thuney to the Bears freed up $16 million in cap space for Kansas City and turned Daniel’s pitch into more of a reality. Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach will have to get creative. The team placed the franchise tag on Trey Smith, incurring a cap hit of $23 million, and is still 27th in cap space with a little more than $400,000 available.
The Chiefs could free up more than $72 million by restructuring contracts for players with high cap hits like Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Jawaan Taylor, and Creed Humphrey.
Why Ronnie Stanley Is A Top Target For Chiefs in NFL Free Agency
Stanley, who ranks as the No. 12 free agent in PFSN’s Top 100 Free Agent Rankings for 2025, has been a stalwart for the Ravens since being selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, earning Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors in 2019. After battling injuries in previous years, Stanley started all 17 games for the Ravens in 2024, allowing just three sacks and posting a 6.5% pressure rate on his way to his second Pro Bowl.
Kansas City has struggled to find a long-term solution at left tackle since Eric Fisher’s departure following the 2020 season. While the team has pieced together serviceable offensive line play, landing a player of Stanley’s caliber would do wonders for keeping Mahomes clean.
A historically potent Chiefs offense finished 12th in PFSN’s Offensive Rankings for 2024 and earned a C+ grade. Author Sterling Xie noted, “[T]he Chiefs showed a familiar Achilles heel that also doomed them in their other Super Bowl loss to the Bucs in 2020. Kansas City skated by without a true solution at left tackle all season, but that caught up to them against Philadelphia in Super Bowl 59.”
The tackle market is expected to be competitive, with several teams needing offensive line help. Stanley’s injury history, including a severe ankle injury that limited him to just seven games between 2020-2022, may scare off some teams. But the potential reward could outweigh the risk for a franchise looking to keep its dynasty alive and kicking.