Is Mark Andrews’ Role Changing in Baltimore?

At his best, Andrews was an extremely dangerous vertical threat for a tight end. In 2021, he averaged 12.7 yards per reception with an average depth of target of 10.3 yards, according to NFL Savant. For comparison, Travis Kelce averaged an 8.6-yard depth of target during his dominant 2020 season while producing 13.5 yards per reception.

The comparison shows just how aggressively Baltimore once used Andrews downfield. Kelce is widely regarded as one of the best receiving tight ends in NFL history, and at his peak, Andrews was being deployed with a similarly aggressive downfield usage.

Now in 2026, Andrews has been used almost exclusively as a possession-style target. His 24.5% target share ranks in the 81st percentile, so Baltimore is not phasing him out of the offense; instead, he is being used differently compared to his prime.

This could simply be a product of aging. Andrews is 31 and may no longer have the same burst or ability to consistently separate downfield that he had earlier in his career. However, the change could also stem from how Declan Doyle wants to structure Baltimore’s passing game.

The Ravens cannot truly be categorized as some slow, grind-it-out offense. Through two games, Baltimore ranks inside the top five in offensive EPA per play, explosive-play rate, and success rate. Many of those chunk gains, however, have come through long runs or deeper targets to players such as Zay Flowers and Chris Moore, leaving Andrews to handle more of the underneath work.

This sort of underneath role stands in contrast to how Colston Loveland was used in Chicago last season. In 2025, Loveland averaged 12.4 yards per reception with an average depth of target of 9.1 yards. He still handled plenty of shorter work — the quick out was his most frequently run route at 22.9% — but the Bears were clearly willing to send him farther downfield as well.

This could mean Doyle is tailoring Andrews’ usage to his current strengths, or it could reflect a slight difference in how Ben Johnson and Doyle prefer to structure their passing games. The answer likely lies somewhere in between. What matters most is whether this role can give Baltimore’s explosive offense a reliable safety valve underneath, forcing defenses to account for Andrews even while trying to limit the Ravens’ bigger playmakers.