Ravens coach John Harbaugh doesn't have time to play games with his scattershot offensive line, which is why first-round pick Ronnie Stanley needs to grow up fast.
"He's the sixth pick in the draft," Harbaugh said of Stanley, via the team's official site. "I expect him to start."
He added: "If he's not good enough to do it or somebody is better than him -- if somebody beats him out or he can't beat somebody out -- then that's how it's going to go."
Harbaugh battled back with a reporter who asked if Stanley would get some work at guard, which seems to be the plan of attack for the Miami Dolphins and their first-round pick, Laremy Tunsil. Instead, it seems like Harbaugh wants Stanley to unseat left tackle Eugene Monroe, who was cleared for workouts on Wednesday after offseason shoulder surgery.
Obviously, having Stanley play the position he was projected for would be the best-case scenario for the Ravens, even if that means putting Monroe in an awkward spot. The unit as a whole would be much stronger with a healthy Monroe at left tackle and Stanley on the right side, but maybe this is Harbaugh's way of securing his anchor right away.
These kinds of statements are tough to parse during offseason workouts because coaches often find themselves in a spot where they need to light a fire under their rookies before the summer break. Does he really want Stanley on the left side or does he want the best version of Stanley come training camp so he can plug him in wherever he wants?
