He’s still a member of the Baltimore Ravens, but there’s no guarantee things will stay that way for All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews. Especially after some telling remarks from general manager Eric DeCosta that appear to contradict head coach John Harbaugh.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, April 15, DeCosta was non-committal when asked about the status of Andrews, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley: “I never know what’s going to happen. And I would never want to say this or that. But, I can tell you this: Mark Andrews is a warrior. He’s played his butt off for us.”
Those words seem needlessly cryptic and contradict the certainty about Andrews expressed by Harbaugh in March, per Hensley: “I do fully expect him to be playing for us next year. He’s just too good a player. Mark would be one of the few guys I would expect to be here, so we’ll see what happens.”
DeCosta’s latest, muted take also sounds as though he’s backtracking from comments he made in February seemingly boldly assuring Andrews’ future.
Is DeCosta now hinting at a trade for Andrews, who’s 29 and one year removed from free agency? Or are those comments merely a reflection of the growing uncertainty surrounding somebody who used to be the go-to target for Lamar Jackson?
Andrews is no longer a lock because of potentially diminishing skills summed up by a rough end to last season. There’s also the not-so small matter of the Ravens having a more dynamic athlete at his position, apparently poised to take the reins from Andrews.
Mark Andrews Facing Uphill Battle to Stay Relevant
There’s a credibility issue for Andrews headed into what could be his final year as a Raven. Long viewed as a Mr. Reliable for Jackson, the veteran suffered a nightmare outing during the playoff defeat to the Buffalo Bills.
Andrews lost a fumble and his late drop wiped out what should have been a game-tying two-point conversion. He’s been dealing with the disappointment since, but questions about his future haven’t gone away.
Many of those questions concern whether or not the Ravens would be smart to trade Andrews. He still has value on the market thanks to being a clutch outlet in the red zone and a competent blocker.
Andrews knows how to get open and still does the dirty work of a true tight end, but he may not be ideally suited to a more expansive offense. At least not as suited as a more explosive pass-catcher.
Ravens Have Dynamic Successor for All-Pro
The growing contributions of his understudy Isaiah Likely shouldn’t have gone unnoticed by Andrews. Likely does things Andrews can’t, like move all across formations and stretch the field with greater speed after the catch.
Those qualities have Likely primed to get paid in the very near future. He’ll earn his pay if he posts breakout numbers in his fourth season.
That’s a possibility because Likely has been forging a growing connection with Jackson. He’s earned the two-time NFL MVP’s trust by averaging 5.8 yards after catch per reception since entering the league as a fourth-round draft pick in 2022, per Pro Football Reference.
The presence of Likely, as well as fellow ’22 draftee Charlie Kolar and returning veteran Patrick Ricard, gives the Ravens a sense of security if they move on from Andrews. It’s going to take something special for him to avoid landing on the trade block midseason or else entering the free agent market a year from now.
