Heading into the offseason, the Baltimore Ravens have to make a decision on their All-Pro tight end. Mark Andrews, the former 2018 draft pick and the team's all-time leader in touchdowns, has the fourth-highest cap hit on the team. Andrews will also be 30 years old. Baltimore faces an interesting decision, and after his infamous drop in the playoffs, many may want the team to let him go. But two NFL insiders disagree.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano and NFL.com’s Matt Okada believe Baltimore would be wise to find a way to keep Andrews on the roster, and they don’t think the team will release him. Both cited Andrews’ impact on the team since being drafted and his chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson. Graziano said:
"These things can be tricky since you can take a cold, impartial look at Andrews’ age and contract and say, ‘Yes, of course.’ But that doesn’t always account for the relationship between the player and the team. Andrews has been one of the greatest and most reliable Ravens of the Lamar Jackson era (his most recent game notwithstanding), and there’s a good chance he and the team come up with a way to stay together. He caught 11 touchdown passes in 2024."
Okada felt the same way:
"The chemistry between Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews is too tight, and Andrews scored 11 touchdowns over Baltimore’s last 12 regular-season games. Andrews is a core piece of this offense and locker room, so I don’t expect him to go anywhere in 2025."
Fan sentiment might be indifferent toward Andrews now, and emotions are high after the AFC Divisional Playoffs, but his contributions remain undeniable. He’s been one of the best tight ends in the NFL with George Kittle and Travis Kelce, and he’s been Jackson’s most reliable playmaker. They came into the league together and have become a special duo. The only thing missing is postseason success.
The reality of the NFL, and sports in general, is that it’s a business. Baltimore knows this. While Andrews has been a security blanket for Jackson, so was Marquise Brown, and the team still traded him to the Arizona Cardinals after the 2021 season. They also have Isaiah Likely waiting in the wings for a shot at being the top tight end.
Andrews carries a $16 million cap hit, and the Ravens can save $11 million by releasing him. With Ronnie Stanley also a free agent, that $11 million could be used to fill other needs, including left tackle. If Baltimore keeps Andrews, they’ll still have one of the best tight ends in the NFL. If they don’t, they’ll have extra cap space to find contributors elsewhere, with another tight end on the roster ready to step up.