For all the good Mark Andrews has done for the Baltimore Ravens, it would be a shame for his time in purple and black to end like this.
After posting a career-high 11 touchdowns in the regular season, Andrews became the fanbase's whipping boy following the Divisional Round loss to the Buffalo Bills, a game in which he had a crucial fourth-quarter fumble and dropped the tying two-point conversion with around 90 seconds to go. That performance, combined with the fact that the Ravens could save $11 million against the cap by moving on from him, led to him becoming a popular trade/cut candidate this offseason.
Even now, when free agency has mostly settled down and much of the league's focus has shifted to the NFL Draft, there's still speculation about a potential move. The 33rd Team's Tyler Brooke named Andrews as one of five blockbuster trade candidates to watch for the remainder of the offseason.
"It might be time for a change of scenery for Mark Andrews," Brooke wrote. "The veteran Baltimore Ravens tight end will be remembered in 2024 for his iconic drop against the Buffalo Bills, but even at 29 years old, the veteran TE had a strong season. He caught 55 passes for 673 yards and 11 touchdowns. He continued to be efficient with his opportunities, averaging 1.88 yards per route run.
"However, that drop has left a sour taste in the mouth of the fanbase, and the Ravens have a pair of younger and promising tight ends on the roster, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar, who could see bigger workloads in Andrews' absence."
The fact that all three of the Ravens' tight ends are entering contract years puts an interesting spin on the situation. Baltimore may have to choose between Andrews and Likely - Kolar is more of a blocking tight end so he shouldn't cost too much to extend - and with the latter showing strong potential at a younger age, he may have the edge.
It is worth noting that the Ravens recently paid out a $4 million roster bonus to Andrews, which could indicate their intent to keep him. However, there's still a lot of time left in the offseason, and their position could change later down the line.
