No Baltimore Ravens player has faced more questions about their future this offseason than star tight end Mark Andrews, and it’s not even close.
Andrews posted a career-high 11 touchdowns last season, but became public enemy No. 1 to some fans after losing a key fumble and dropping the game-tying two-point conversion in the Divisional Round. Add in the fact that the Ravens can save $11 million against the cap if they trade or release him, and it’s understandable why many believe he may have played his final game in purple and black.
Baltimore’s brass has stuck by Andrews throughout the offseason, and at this point, it seems more likely than not that he will stick around. They even paid him a $4 million roster bonus last month.
However, general manager Eric DeCosta may have added some fuel to the fire at the Ravens’ pre-draft press conference on Tuesday.
“I never know what’s going to happen, but I can tell you this, Mark Andrews is a warrior,” DeCosta told reporters. “He’s a great player and we’re in the business of keeping as many great players as we can.”
That makes it sound like the Ravens aren’t actively shopping Andrews, but if an offer they can’t refuse comes around, they may be willing to move on.
Andrews has just one year remaining on his deal at a cap hit of just over $16.9 million. The Ravens have enough cap space to manage that cap hit comfortably, but extending him when he’s about to turn 30 may be more of a challenge.
Baltimore also has Isaiah Likely, who’s proven to be a capable No. 1 option when Andrews is out, waiting in the wings. He too is entering the final year of his deal, as is third-stringer Charlie Kolar, but Likely is far younger and should come cheaper than Andrews as well.
If the Ravens are going to trade Andrews, doing so before or during the NFL Draft would be ideal. That’s obviously not a hard deadline, but it would allow them to use any potential draft picks they get back right away.
