On the morning of March 5, the Kansas City Chiefs surprised the NFL community by choosing to trade Joe Thuney, a recent club MVP winner and four-time All-Pro (two first-team, two second-team) left lineman, to the Chicago Bears before free agency. There was always a chance that KC would eventually let go of Thuney, but following head coach Andy Reid’s laudatory remarks about the veteran blocker, who made a successful late-season switch to left tackle, and general manager Brett Veach’s NFL Combine message discussing the importance of the offensive line, it appeared as though the Chiefs would retain the future Hall of Famer for another season.
That ultimately didn’t work out, and Kansas City decided to give up $16 million in cap space in exchange for Thuney, a 2026 fourth-round pick. It goes without saying that this move raises the question of what the offensive line will do next. The Chiefs now have a huge hole guarding Patrick Mahomes’ blindside without Thuney and a trustworthy option at left tackle. Former Kansas City quarterback Chase Daniel urged Veach to make a major splash in free agency to fill that void.
Daniel wrote on X: “[Dianna Russini] & I did a ‘Dream Scenario’ segment on [the] Scoop City [podcast] Tuesday & while it was a joke…now it has to happen! There’s only one player that makes sense for the Chiefs in free agency now that All-Pro Joe Thuney is gone….. [Baltimore Ravens left tackle] Ronnie Stanley.” The Chiefs intend to “target” Stanley in free agency, according to sources cited by Nate Taylor of The Athletic later that day on March 5.I
Although the Chiefs have previously been linked to Stanley this summer, the free agency connection seemed implausible. Stanley is a former first-round pick and first-team All-Pro whose most recent significant contract deal cost $98.75 million, and Kansas City was in financial straits going into the offseason. In 2024, Stanley earned a far more reasonable $7.5 million, but that was after several seasons marred by injuries. The 6-foot-6 blocker started all 19 of the Ravens’ games in 2024, including the playoffs, and was in perfect health.
Jeremy Fowler, an ESPN NFL insider, estimates that Stanley’s 2025 market value might be between $21-23 million. Fowler said on March 2 that “the sense out of Indianapolis is that the Ravens and left tackle Ronnie Stanley can agree on terms on an extension in the coming days.” Although it’s not quite a given, there is a sentiment to attempt to make that happen. According to some league insiders, that arrangement will bring in between $21-23 million annually. The insider went on to say at the time, “I still suspect the [New England] Patriots will target tackles, and don’t sleep on the Chiefs, either.” “If Stanley is released, many in the league are speculatively expecting the Chiefs to entertain his market.”
In a manner, history would be repeated if the Chiefs were to manage to sign Stanley. Orlando Brown Jr., a right tackle with the Ravens, was acquired by Veach in 2021 for a first-round pick (plus more), with the intention of moving Brown to left tackle. Long-term, the contract was successful, as KC fans are aware, as Brown helped the Chiefs win the Super Bowl after the 2022 season.
He then left in free agency, recreating the LT issue once again.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Veach and Kansas City tapped into the Baltimore well for a second time. The Ravens have a history of developing offensive linemen, and Stanley has proven to be one of the better left tackles in the game when healthy — not to mention stealing him away would also mean weakening an AFC rival.
Leave a Reply