Through his first seven seasons in the NFL, Mark Andrews has been one of the most reliable pass catchers in Baltimore Ravens franchise history. While he may end up being remembered for dropping a critical pass vs. the Buffalo Bills in the AFC playoffs last year, Andrews has been as advertised in Charm City. The former third-round pick out of Oklahoma might be playing his final year in Baltimore.
Look. I am sure Ravens Flock would love to have him back, but there is a lot at play here that could be going against him. First off, Andrews will be hitting NFL free agency next offseason, probably due for a bump in pay. He is entering the final year of his four-year deal worth $56 million. Andrews may be a three-time Pro Bowler and a former All-Pro player, but the production has not been quite there of late.
So not only is it a potential downtick in production and entering a pricey contract year, but Andrews turns 30 in September. Although it may come down to what franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson wants more than anything, we have to remember that the NFL is a hard salary-capped league, and you can only pay a premium on so many players. Otherwise, your roster will have glaring holes in it.
The only way I see Andrews coming back is if he looks closer to 2022 Andrews and is willing to take a hometown discount.
Why Mark Andrews may be playing his final season with Baltimore Ravens
The other issue at hand here is eventually, Baltimore has to make the Super Bowl with Jackson as their franchise quarterback. His talent is too much for him to never get there. I understand that the Kansas City Chiefs have dominated the AFC for the last half-decade, but we are starting to run out of excuses for contending teams like Baltimore and Buffalo to finally break through.
It is why I am very much of the belief that if Baltimore and Buffalo fail to make the Super Bowl this year, we could see drastic changes next offseason. At some point, you have to admit defeat and say losing in the AFC Divisional Round more often than not is simply not good enough. Jackson and reigning MVP Josh Allen will stay, but other key pieces could be moved around.
Andrews has been a valuable piece to this team, but there is also a chance the Ravens have gotten the most out of his professional productivity. He may have been a superstar in college catching passes from Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma, but that was nearly a decade ago. Andrews still has a role in this league, possibly as a star, but he needs to be the star playmaker Baltimore used to have in him.
If Andrews plays like he did the last two years, it might be time for Baltimore to fully turn the page.