Could the Baltimore Ravens actually move on from their All-Pro tight end this offseason?
Mark Andrews has been a staple of the Ravens' passing attack now for six seasons including multiple Pro Bowl awards and an All-Pro nomination. He's coming off a season where he missed nine games due to a myriad of injuries.
Now at 28 years old, and coming off major leg surgery, could the Ravens look to move on from their quarterback's top pass catcher? The emergency of Isiah Likely in 2023 certainly could make a player like Andrews expendable at the very least.
Likely caught 30 passes for over 400 yards and five touchdowns this season and seems to be blossoming into an excellent tight end in his own right. At just 23 years old, the Ravens could very well use him to see if he develops now as the focal point in the offense as Andrews once was.
But how much would it cost Baltimore to move on from an All-Pro like Andrews?
In reality, there's an out in the contract of the former third-round pick. Andrews has no guaranteed money in 2024 based on OverTheCap.com. If Baltimore were to move on from him as a post-June-1st cut, the Ravens would only eat up $5 million in dead cap while saving $11 million in space. The numbers are reversed if the Flock were to make him a pre-June 1st release.
There also could be a trade market for a player of Andrews' stature. Sure, how he looks following his gruesome ankle injury will be a question to some organizations, but Andrews is still a dependable player.
The best value for Baltimore, though, might be finding a trade partner. Likely's performance in 2023 could push the Ravens to getting compensation back for Andrews, and allow them to restock on major positions of need like offensive line and edge rusher.
There's no guarantee that the team will part ways with their Pro Bowl tight end, especially due to his importance in the offense, but they have an out this year for the first time and it may be the best course forward for them.
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