One rumor has consistently circled the Baltimore Ravens this offseason–the possibility of trading tight end Mark Andrews. The 29-year-old had a disastrous playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, and his name quickly became slandered by the Ravens fanbase. While general manager Eric DeCosta left the door open for a potential Andrews trade during NFL Draft week, the rumors have become less realistic since then.
After Baltimore’s mandatory minicamp, most thought the Andrews trade talk would die out. Quarterback Lamar Jackson let everyone know his opinion, shutting down the idea and going to bat for his long-term teammate.
"I be seeing my guy be getting talked about, and I really don't like that because he's done so much for us,” Jackson said. “Mark's still Mark.”
However, it seems Jackson’s opinion has failed to put an end to the swirling rumors. Enzo Flojo of ClutchPoints highlighted the eighth-year tight end as an obvious trade candidate for the Ravens.
“Andrews’ legacy in Baltimore is secure. But as the Ravens prepare for a Super Bowl push, it’s clear: the team’s future at tight end belongs to Isaiah Likely — and Mark Andrews might be the most obvious trade candidate in the NFL heading into 2025 camp,” Flojo wrote.
Flojo is right about everything in his article. In most cases, it would make sense to move Andrews. Likely is uber-talented and more than capable of becoming the starting tight end, and Andrews would net valuable draft capital in return. But the Ravens’ all-time touchdown leader is still a tremendous threat in the offense.
Mark Andrews must remain a Raven through 2025
Since Andrews and Jackson entered the league, they have been among the best duos. The two have connected for over 4,000 yards and 48 touchdowns, proving to be one of the most feared combinations in the NFL. While the 2024 season ended in a tough way for Andrews, Jackson’s confidence that he can get back on track should be enough to keep the three-time Pro Bowler in Baltimore, and you do not want to upset your franchise quarterback.
A late 2023 ankle injury and a car accident in August shook Andrews up, and he was clearly out of rhythm to begin 2024. He failed to find the end zone in weeks one through five and barely cracked over 100 yards. The end of the regular season was a completely different story, though. He caught a touchdown in Baltimore’s final six matchups and 11 in the last 12.
At this point, it is too late to make a trade revolving around Andrews. While they could get value for a pending free agent expected to leave in 2026, it would do more harm than good. The All-Pro version of Andrews is still there, and if 2025 is his final go-around with the Ravens, it should be a good one.