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.