The Chiefs got things started by slapping a franchise tag on guard Trey Smith, ensuring he would at least stick around through 2025. But they still need to solve their left tackle situation, as Wanya Morris is certainly not cutting it.
Well, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler is reporting that Kansas City may very well pursue the best offensive tackle on the market, noting that Baltimore Ravens star Ronnie Stanley could be a target for the club.
“I still suspect the Patriots will target tackles, and don’t sleep on the Chiefs, either,” Fowler wrote. “Many around the league are loosely expecting the Chiefs to entertain Stanley’s market, should he get free.”
Of course, the Ravens seem to have the desire to keep Stanley, so it’s entirely possible that the two-time Pro Bowler won’t even hit the open market.
If he does, however, he would represent a terrific pickup for Kansas City, which not only needs to better protect Mahomes, but also needs to make life easier for its running backs.
Stanley, who played his collegiate football at Notre Dame, was originally selected by Baltimore with the sixth overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft.
The 31-year-old made his first Pro Bowl in 2019 and also earned a First-Team All-Pro selection that season, so when he is healthy, he is terrific.
But that’s the one problem: Stanley is rarely healthy.
The 2024 campaign represented the first time the 6-foot-6 behemoth played a full season, and perhaps not surprisingly, he made the Pro Bowl.
Between 2020 and 2023, Stanley played in a grand total of 31 games, so the Chiefs absolutely should think long and hard before signing him to a lucrative contract.
Still, Stanley would fill a glaring need, and Kansas City may be desperate.
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