Baltimore Beatdown
The Ravens general manager double down on his faith in the three-time Pro Bowler but left the door open for a potential parting of ways.
For the part he played in the team’s demise in the Divisional Round of the 2024 playoffs, fans, pundits and prognosticators have been hellbent on running Baltimore Ravens three-time Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews out of town via trade of as a salary cap casualty.
During his NFL Combine press conference on Tuesday, general manager Eric DeCosta expressed his excitement about the Ravens’ entire depth chart at the position. However, he didn’t say much to douse those flames of doubt surrounding Andrews’ future in Baltimore despite going out of his way to praise Andrews for the contributions he has made. If anything, he fanned the flames let the rest of the league know they’re open to potentially trading him.
“We’ll figure out all the roster machinations over the coming weeks but I can tell you that there is no bigger fan of Mark Andrews than me,” DeCosta said. “He’s been a blessing to have on the team. His leadership, the way he approaches the game, his attention to detail, he’s just one of those guys.”
Andrews remains highly revered in the eyes of the organization and they still believe that he can produce at a high level but it remains to be seen whether it will continue being in Charm City where he made a name for himself.
“Mark’s gonna go down as one out great players, he’ll be in the Ring of Honor someday,” DeCosta said. “I love having Mark on the team. He’s an awesome player. I know he’s going to have an amazing season.”
The Ravens will boast the deepest tight end room in the NFL for the 2025 season if Andrews stays put with Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar behind him. However, all three are heading into the final years of their respective contracts and will be unrestricted free agents next offseason if they’re not extended between now and then.
“We’re blessed to have three really good tight ends under contract this year,” DeCosta said. “They all contribute in different ways, their chemistry, their camaraderie, their impact on the offense, their relationship with the other skill guys is great.”
Likely and Kolar were fourth-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft and are eligible for extensions for the first time this offseason. While both players are coming off career-best seasons as pass catchers, Likely is the most intriguing early extension candidate of the two given all the explosive playmaking potential he has flashed when given the opportunity and when utilized in a more featured role as a result of injury to Andrews.
As exciting as Likely’s maturation has been to watch over his first three seasons when Andrews has been on the field and healthy, he has been as productive and impactful as ever. After a slow start to the 2024 season coming off a serious preseason car accident he was...
