Mark Andrews

Ravens GM Expects Mark Andrews “To Be On This Team”

April 26th, 2025 at 9:32am CST by Ben Levine

With Mark Andrews being the subject of trade rumors this offseason, the draft appeared to be a key moment in determining the tight end’s future in Baltimore. Through the first two days of the draft, Andrews remains with the Ravens, and GM Eric DeCosta acknowledged that it’s probably going to remain that way.

“At this point, I would really expect Mark to be on this team,” DeCosta told reporters last night (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley). “Great player, love him, competitive, tough playmaker. I would expect him to be on the team.”

Andrews has established himself as a franchise legend in Baltimore, as the tight end holds the franchise record for touchdowns (rushing or receiving) and ranks second in franchise history in receiving yards. However, a divorce wouldn’t be completely unfounded.

Beyond Andrews’ continued playoff failures (which culminated in a recent playoff loss to the Bills that saw the tight end fumble the ball on a crucial drive and drop a game-tying two-point conversion), there are also financial incentives for moving on from the tight end. Andrews is entering the final season of a four-year, $56MM extension, and he’s due to carry a lofty cap charge of $16.91MM in 2025. A trade would provide the organization with $11MM in cap savings.

While Andrews wouldn’t command nearly as large of a contract next offseason, there was a belief that the Ravens could look to squeeze value out of the asset, especially if they already intended to move on in 2026. Plus, with Isaiah Likely entering the final season of his rookie contract, the Ravens may be in a position to pick between the two. If a suitor was willing to pony up for Andrews, the team could simply move forward with Likely.

Andrews hasn’t come close to matching his 1,300-yard campaign from 2021, and he finished last season with only 39.6 yards per game, his lowest average since his rookie year. On the flip side, he found the end zone 11 times (a career high), and a recent report indicated that the team is cognizant that losing Andrews would still hurt their 2025 roster.

For what it’s worth, Andrews recently expressed optimism that he’d remain in Baltimore for at least the 2025 season. Head coach John Harbaugh has also expressed an expectation that his long-time player will remain with the squad. DeCosta was the last to weigh in, and the GM’s comments seem to confirm that Andrews will spend at least one more year with the Ravens.

TE Mark Andrews Expects To Remain With Ravens

April 22nd, 2025 at 11:20am CST by Adam La Rose

Mark Andrews is one of several veterans whose name has been connected to trade talk during the build-up to the draft. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta recently declined to confirm the All-Pro tight end will remain in Baltimore for 2025.

Next season represents the final one of Andrews’ contract. The 29-year-old has signed one extension in his career, but it remains to be seen if he will receive another from the Ravens. A trade around or during the draft has therefore been a talking point since the end of the 2024 campaign. Andrews does not anticipate being moved, though.

“At the end of the day, I think [DeCosta] said it perfectly: He’s in the business of keeping great players and it’s a business at the end of the day,” the three-time Pro Bowler said to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “You can’t be surprised by anything, but I’m a Raven. I know the Ravens and my relationship is incredibly strong and I trust in [DeCosta] and everybody there over at the Ravens.”

To be clear, DeCosta’s latest comments on the subject did not state the Ravens are actively looking to move Andrews. Head coach John Harbaugh has expressed an expectation the Oklahoma product will remain in the fold for at least one more year, something which will be influenced in large part by the strength of the market which develops for him over the coming days. Andrews is due to carry a cap charge of $16.91MM in 2025, while a trade would result in $11MM in savings.

Given Baltimore’s financial outlook – the likes of quarterback Lamar Jackson, running back Derrick Henry, safety Kyle Hamilton, center Tyler Linderbaum and edge rusher Odafe Oweh are all in line for extensions as early as this offseason – keeping Andrews at a high cost would prove to be challenging. He set a new career high with 11 touchdowns last season, but Andrews’ 39.6 receiving yards per game average were the lowest mark since his rookie campaign. A repeat of that modest production at a high price would be difficult to handle from a cap perspective.

Another factor in this situation is the fact fellow tight end Isaiah Likely is entering the final year of his rookie deal. The 25-year-old’s playing time, yardage and touchdown totals have increased over each of his first three seasons, and he would be in position to assume an even larger pass-catching role in the event Andrews were to be dealt. A new commitment in the latter would decrease the funds available for a second Likely contract. Special teamer Charlie Kolar is also a pending 2026 free agent, meaning several decisions at the tight end spot will soon need to be made.

The most important of those relates to Andrews’ future, and clarity could soon emerge if a draft-day trade were to take place. That would come as something of a surprise to the player in this instance, but it remains something to watch for.

Ravens Unsure On Future Of Mark Andrews

April 17th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Ely Allen

APRIL 17: The Ravens are cognizant that losing Andrews would hurt their 2025 roster, with The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec indicating the team will demand a solid return for the Pro Bowl tight end. Andrews’ status as a team leader also factors into the team’s thinking here.

APRIL 16: Veteran tight end Mark Andrews is heading into a contract year with the Ravens. On its surface, you take a look at Andrews’ three Pro Bowl selections and first-team All-Pro history and think that this problem has an easy solution. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta, though, isn’t as sure about how things will turn out.

“I never know what’s going to happen,” DeCosta told ESPN’s Jamison Hensley in a pre-draft news conference, “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.”

DeCosta isn’t wrong. In only seven seasons in Baltimore, Andrews is second all-time for the franchise in receiving yards (only 247 yards behind Derrick Mason) and holds the record for most touchdowns (rushing or receiving) in franchise history.

Coming in as a third-round pick in the same draft as Lamar Jackson and Hayden Hurst — both selected in the first round — Andrews outdueled Hurst for the primary tight end job and established an electric connection with Jackson. Just before 2021, the Ravens awarded Andrews with a four-year, $56MM extension. Andrews rewarded Baltimore in return with his strongest season to date, notching career highs in catches (107) and receiving yards (1,361).

That extension is now coming to an end, and while Andrews has continued to bring success to the field as one of the NFL’s best tight ends, he’s brought his share of bad memories, as well. As good as Andrews has been in the regular season, he has a tendency to disappear in the playoffs. The franchise’s touchdown leader has never scored in the postseason.

Despite being targeted 53 times, he’s only caught 29 playoff passes. According to Pro Football Reference‘s advanced statistics, he also has two drops and has seen three passes intended for him intercepted in postseason play. Recency bias can be dangerous, too, as this year’s playoff loss to the Bills saw him fumble the ball on a crucial drive and drop a game-tying two-point conversion.

These struggles when it matters most have been key in the arguments against retaining Andrews in Baltimore. Another factor is the emergence of third-year tight end Isaiah Likely, who seems to be improving year after year despite a continued role as TE2. Given more of a role in the offense, many believe Likely could be even more dangerous of a weapon than he’s displayed already. While Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Andrews as the fourth-best tight end in the league, Likely (seventh) wasn’t far behind. Even more impressive, the Ravens also roster third-year tight end Charlie Kolar, whose receiving grade ranked eighth in the NFL for tight ends, per PFF, in 2024.

So, with weapons like Likely and Kolar behind Andrews, should the Ravens let Andrews walk to see what could be waiting in his wake? It’s not hard to justify a new long-term deal for Andrews based on his regular season numbers, but if he continues to let his team down in the playoffs, fans are going to lament the money dedicated to the veteran.

With Likely and Kolar also heading into the final years of their rookie deals, DeCosta and company are going to have to make a decision about which tight ends they are going to decide to pay. Likely will likely fetch a high price on the free agent market, so it’ll be difficult to retain both. For now, DeCosta left things open-ended. Perhaps next week’s draft will illuminate a bit more about the team’s future at the position.

John Harbaugh: Ravens Expect To Retain TE Mark Andrews

March 31st, 2025 at 4:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mark Andrews‘ Ravens future has been a talking point this offseason. The All-Pro tight end has one year remaining on his current deal, and a $4MM roster bonus was recently paid out.

Baltimore is not looking to trade Andrews, although the possibility looms at this point. The 29-year-old has spent his entire career with the Ravens, developing a strong rapport with fellow 2018 draftee Lamar Jackson. That tenure could come to an end, but the latest update on the matter points to Andrews remaining in place for 2025.

“Mark’s in a good place. He’s working really hard,” head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday (via the team’s website). “I do fully expect him to be playing for us next year. He’s just too good a player.”

Andrews has missed considerable time only once during his career, and he has consistently operated as an effective red zone target. The former third-rounder has amassed 51 touchdowns, the most in franchise history. His $14MM-per-year extension was welcomed when it was signed in 2021, but it remains to be seen if another financial commitment will be made on the team’s part. As things stand, Andrews is due to carry a cap charge of $16.91MM next year.

Duplicating that figure (more or less) on a new deal could prove to be challenging as the Ravens plan for second contacts at a number of positions. The team’s list of extension-eligible players includes fellow tight end Isaiah Likely, who has shown strong signs of development over the course of his young career. One year remains on Likely’s rookie deal, and the same is true of tight end/special teamer Charlie Kolar.

Andrews’ postseason struggles – which include but are not limited to his fumble and dropped two-point conversion in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ divisional round loss – have been cited as a reason a trade could be in store. Based on Harbaugh’s remarks, though, he remains on track to again handle a key role on offense in 2025.

Ravens Willing To Trade TE Mark Andrews?

March 23rd, 2025 at 11:22am CST by Rory Parks

Although Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has not been previously named as a trade candidate, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic says Baltimore could look to move the three-time Pro Bowler despite seeing his $4MM roster bonus trigger last week. It does not sound as if the club is actively marketing Andrews, and Zrebiec says it would take a “legit offer” to pry him from the Ravens, but it is nonetheless notable that the team is even open to the possibility.

Andrews, 29, entered the NFL in the same year as quarterback Lamar Jackson, as the Ravens selected the Oklahoma product in the third round of the 2018 draft. He has been one of Jackson’s most trusted targets from the jump, establishing himself as one of the league’s premier pass-catching tight ends in the process. He also holds the franchise record for most receiving touchdowns (51) and is close to overtaking Derrick Mason for most receiving yards in franchise history (5,777). He is entering the final year of the four-year, $56MM extension he signed in September 2021.

Even as Baltimore has added more talent to the WR and TE positions over the past few years, Andrews has remained a key cog in the offense and even set a career-high in touchdowns (11) in 2024. The team has not advanced to the Super Bowl in the Jackson era but is constructed to make another playoff push in 2025, and removing Andrews from its offensive attack would seemingly run counter to those aspirations (his costly errors in this year’s divisional-round loss to the Bills notwithstanding).

Of course, the Ravens would not seek to move on from Andrews simply because of his missteps in the Buffalo contest. Instead, any trade would presumably be designed to acquire notable draft capital to inject more cost-controlled talent into the roster, which is a goal for any club with a top-of-the-market QB contract on its books.

Plus, fellow tight end Isaiah Likely – who is nearly five years younger than Andrews – has proven himself to be a highly-effective weapon and is (like Andrews) entering a platform year. In addition to netting about $5MM of cap space in 2025, trading Andrews could pave the way for a Likely extension while extracting more value from Andrews than a future compensatory pick (if he were allowed to leave in free agency in 2026, that is).

Zrebiec says Baltimore was never going to release Andrews, and he does not specify what type of offer would convince Ravens brass to pull the trigger on a trade. After he was rumored as an extension candidate last year, though, it presently appears as if Andrews’ future with his original club is murkier than expected.

Ravens Rumors: Humphrey, Andrews, Stephens

June 29th, 2024 at 4:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey had one of the toughest seasons of his career in 2023. Pro Football Focus gave him the lowest grade of his career (subscription required), ranking him as the 59th best cornerback out of 127 graded players at the position, and he missed seven games as injuries nagged at him throughout the season.

As a result, it was not much of a surprise to see that Humphrey was in and out of organized team activities and minicamp this spring. That being said, there was still some concern as no information was being dispersed to explain his absences. Humphrey took to his Punch Line Podcast to inform fans and the media as to what the situation was.

“I did Day 1 (of minicamp), and then I took two vet rest days,” Humphrey explained. “I’m kind of on the NBA routine sometimes. Took two rest days, but man, I’m excited.”

Humphrey has been the lone staple in an everchanging Ravens secondary since he was selected in the first round out of Alabama in 2017. He had a healthy 2022 season but has missed at least five games in two of the last three years. The Ravens will hope to keep him on the field more in 2024 as he mentors Clemson-product Nate Wiggins, the team’s first cornerback taken in the first round since Humphrey. After Humphrey missed some of the spring, head coach John Harbaugh expects him to be good for training camp, per team writer Kyle Phoenix.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Charm City:

Aside from several one-year deals, the Ravens have only a couple impact players entering contract years and only one on defense: cornerback Brandon Stephens. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic highlighted Stephens as a potential extension candidate for the Ravens this year. Starting his collegiate career as a running back at UCLA, Stephens transferred to SMU where he excelled at cornerback. Joining the Ravens as a third-round pick in 2021, Stephens was moved once again to safety, starting 11 games in place of an injured DeShon Elliott. In his sophomore campaign, Stephens took a step back in his role, moving back to cornerback behind starters Humphrey and Marcus Peters. With Peters moving on last year, Stephens became a surprise full-time starter, delivering the best season of his career, per PFF. If Humphrey doesn’t bounce back after his injury-riddled 2023 campaign, the Ravens may need to rely on Stephens to lead rookies Wiggins and T.J. Tampa into the future of the cornerbacks room in Baltimore. Stephens plays a premier position with versatility and reliability, and because he has yet to earn any accolades as he’s moved around, the Ravens could potentially sign him to a fairly team-friendly contract to keep him around for a few more years.
Zrebiec also mentioned tight end Mark Andrews as a potential focus for contract adjustments, claiming that an extension could be a strong move to lessen the former first-team All-Pro’s cap impact over the next two seasons. On his current four-year, $56MM deal, Andrews is due base salaries of $7MM in each of the next two seasons and will represent a cap hit of $16.91MM in each year, as well. Crafting an extension now could create some cap flexibility in the short-term while ensuring Andrews sticks around for a few more extra years to come.

Ravens Activate TE Mark Andrews From IR

January 26th, 2024 at 10:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

As expected, the Ravens will have Mark Andrews available for this weekend’s AFC title game. The All-Pro tight end was activated from injured reserve on Friday, per a team announcement.

Andrews returned to practice two weeks ago, leaving open the possibility that he could suit up for Baltimore’s divisional round contest. To little surprise, however, he was unable to recover in time for that game. With the Ravens having advanced to the conference championship, though, he will now be able to see game action for the first time since November.

The three-time Pro Bowler suffered a leg fracture and ligament damage in his ankle, and the requisite surgery appeared to mark an end to his campaign. The team has been optimistic about a postseason return, though, and Andrews’ ongoing progress has now made that possible. Today’s move was foreshadowed yesterday when Jeremiah Moon was waived, creating a roster spot for Andrews to take.

The latter was in the midst of another strong season before suffering the injury, posting 544 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. Andrews has drawn at least eight targets in a game three times this season, demonstrating his continued presence as a focal point of the Ravens’ passing game. The team’s re-vamped WR room has helped alleviate Andrews’ absence, but the 28-year-old can still be considered quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s favorite target.

Of course, Andrews’ injury paved the way for fellow tight end Isaiah Likely to take on a starting role late in the regular season and into the playoffs. The 2022 fourth-rounder flashed potential as a complementary option as a rookie, but he was not a signficant factor in the passing game before Andrews went down. With an uptick in usage, however, Likely has posted 40 or more yards five times as a starter; he has also racked up five touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how he and Andrews are used now that both are healthy again.

Today’s move will use up one of the Ravens’ two remaining IR activations. The team will thus have a degree of roster flexibility ahead of the Super Bowl if Baltimore manages to win against Kansas City on Sunday. Having Andrews back in the fold will no doubt help in that regard.

Ravens Waive OLB Jeremiah Moon

January 25th, 2024 at 10:16pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens have made a roster move ahead of this weekend’s AFC Championship game, waiving pass rusher Jeremiah Moon from the 53-man roster. Moon has gone back and forth between the active roster and practice squad this season, and his release will open up a roster spot for a potential big addition this Sunday.

A second-year, undrafted player out of Florida, Moon spent his entire rookie year on the practice squad. This year, Moon was signed to the active roster shortly into the season before ultimately being waived and signed to the practice squad in late-October. Even from the practice squad, though, Moon saw himself elevated enough times to appear in eight games and even start a game this year.

Moon played in last Saturday’s win over the Texans, mostly appearing on special teams before the blowout nature of the game allowed him some defensive snaps, as well. The team likely won’t miss him on special teams, though, as key special teamer Del’Shawn Phillips is hopeful to return from injury. After appearing in every regular season game, the reserve linebacker sat out of the Divisional Round with a shoulder injury.

The real return that Moon’s waiving allows for is that of star tight end Mark Andrews from injured reserve. Andrews has been out since mid-November after suffering a cracked fibula and a high ankle sprain from getting taken down by a hip-drop tackle by Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson. The team didn’t have much faith in seeing Andrews play again this year, but as one of the last four teams remaining, the Ravens have stayed alive long enough to grant their leading tight end a chance to play again this season.

Baltimore doesn’t have too long left to activate Andrews in time for this weekend’s game, but waiving Moon seems like the perfect primer for such a move. Moon has fit well over his two years in Baltimore. Expect him to return via a practice squad or reserve/futures contract should he clear waivers.

Ravens Designate Mark Andrews For Return

January 19th, 2024 at 10:22am CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 19: While an initial report indicated the Ravens were planning to activate Andrews for their divisional-round game, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates the team will hold off on that. The No. 1-seeded club will not move Andrews back to its 53-man roster before Saturday’s Texans tilt, with Rapoport adding an AFC championship return — provided Baltimore qualifies for that round for the first time in 11 years — has been the goal.

Andrews logged full practices on Wednesday and Thursday this week, but the Ravens will remain cautious with their top pass catcher.

JANUARY 12: As the Ravens continue with their bye week ahead of the wild-card round, they have received encouraging news on the injury front. Tight end Mark Andrews was designated for return from injured reserve on Friday, and he took part in the day’s practice session.

The move opens Andrews’ 21-day day activation window and marks another signficant step in his recovery process. The All-Pro suffered a cracked fibula as well as ligament damage in his ankle in November, an injury which threatened to end his season. After undergoing surgery, however, it became clear the Ravens were holding out hope that he would manage to return at some point down the road.

Andrews has had a successful recovery process to date, strengthening the belief that he could suit up in the event Baltimore made a deep postseason run. By securing the top seed in the AFC, the Ravens earned an extra week of recovery for the three-time Pro Bowler, who was enjoying another productive campaign prior to the injury. Andrews totaled 544 yards and six touchdowns on 45 catches across 10 games before going down.

The former third-rounder has been quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s preferred target in the passing game throughout his career. Andrews has remained a focal point of Baltimore’s offense since signing a four-year, $56MM extension in 2021, but his absence has opened the door for another key contributor on offense in recent weeks. 2022 fourth-rounder Isaiah Likely has taken on a starting role in Andrews’ absence, and he has impressed with the increased workload so far.

Likely has posted a 30-411-5 statline this season, with much of his production coming after Andrews was sidelined. In general, the Ravens’ offense has managed to hold up better than expected with Andrews (along with running backs J.K. Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell, who are out for the year) on the sidelines. Still, his return to the lineup in time for the divisional round would be a major boost to Baltimore’s Super Bowl aspirations.

Andrews now joins wideout/returner Devin Duvernay as well as defensive back Ar’Darius Washington in having his practice window opened. The Ravens have four IR activations remaining, but three of them will be needed to bring each member of the trio back into the fold.