One of the Patriots top offseason targets won’t make it to free agency.
On Sunday evening, the Baltimore Ravens announced they agreed to a new contract with Pro Bowl left tackle Ronnie Stanley. ESPN reports it’s a 3-year, $60 million contract.
This news, less than two days before free agency begins, is a gut punch for the Patriots.
The team is planning on being aggressive when the legal tampering period starts on Monday at noon. However, Stanley was one of the team’s top targets. The 30-year-old is coming off his second Pro Bowl season and was by far the best tackle available this offseason.
The Patriots want to completely revamp their offensive line and are expected to target both tackle spots as well as left guard. This offseason, before free agency begins, two tackles have already come off the board with Stanley on Sunday and Alaric Jackson re-signing with the Los Angeles Rams.
For the Patriots, the options are dwindling.
The best-remaining tackles are Dan Moore Jr., Cam Robinson, and Jedrick Wills Jr.
Moore, 26, started all 66 games played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, he allowed a league-high 12 sacks last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Still, he would give the Patriots an experienced left tackle in the prime of his career.
Robinson, 29, is now the most experienced left tackle in free agency. He’s started 101-of-101 games played. He finished last season in Minnesota after being traded by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Robinson has a connection with the Patriots as the team’s new offensive line coach Doug Marrone drafted Robinson in 2017 during his first season as the Jaguars head coach.
Wills, 25, is also in the prime of his career, but he comes with some question marks. He was drafted 10th overall in 2020 but didn’t live up to expectations in Cleveland. He was the Browns full-time starter at left tackle from 2020-2022. He suffered an MCL injury in 2023 and was benched last season. He did cross paths with Mike Vrabel, who worked with Browns offensive linemen last season.
Another option for the Patriots is to find new tackles in the upcoming NFL Draft. The top two players available are Will Campbell and Amand Membou. Although Campbell has shorter arms (less than 33 inches) than your prototypical tackle, multiple sources told MassLive that the Patriots believe he’s a tackle.
According to a source, the Patriots interest in Campbell depends on what happens next week in free agency. If the team can adequately fill their depth chart, it would lessen the need for a tackle in the draft. If they don’t love the options, there are multiple fans of Campbell inside Gillette Stadium.
The LSU product is considered the best offensive lineman in this draft and posted elite testing numbers at the NFL Combine.
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