They have been reluctant to find a trade partner for All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews, but the Baltimore Ravens should still explore a deal thanks to a pair of NFC teams being ideal fits for the veteran pass-catcher.
The fits are based on Andrews’ familiarity with one second-year head coach, along with how a clutch target could help a young, developing quarterback. Those factors, combined with Isaiah Likely’s ongoing emergence as the go-to tight end for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, mean Andrews is still trade worthy, according to Jonathon Macri of Pro Football Focus.
Macri named the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers as the best landing spots for Andrews in the national conference. The Seahawks make the list because former Ravens defensive coordinator “Mike MacDonald in Seattle has familiarity with Andrews from his time in Baltimore.”
Things are different with the Panthers, but “if Bryce Young continues his high-end play in Carolina, the Panthers could utilize a veteran like Andrews.”
Both deals make sense since Macri has already backed Likely to reduce Andrews’ target share in a key area. That would mean a breakout campaign for Likely, so “an Andrews trade is the ultimate result.”
Mark Andrews Still Has Trade Value for Ravens
Flipping Andrews for some draft capital or veteran reinforcements has been a popular idea since the 29-year-old’s nightmare outing in last season’s playoffs. Andrews’ mistake-prone performance and case of the drops cost the Ravens against the Buffalo Bills, but he still value.
The value can be quantified on and off the field. Between the hashmarks, Andrews remains an efficient target in the red zone, evidenced by his 11 touchdown grabs from just 15 targets inside the 20 last season, per Underdog’s Josh Norris.
Andrews is still somebody Jackson likes to look toward at the business end of the field. Yet, other receivers are overtaking Andrews as Jackson’s go-to targets in difficult situations.
Ravens Relying on Other Receivers Under Pressure
Andrews is no longer Jackson’s preferred option when the two-time NFL MVP is beset by pressure. That distinction belongs to a wideout rapidly becoming Baltimore’s No. 1 receiver, but there are other pass-catchers staking claims to what used to be Andrews’ territory.
Likely leads the interlopers as Jackson’s main man from a formation the Ravens have turned into a “superpower.” That trend is unlikely to change in 2025, and nor will Jackson’s growing comfort level with Rashod Bateman, who has twice made franchise history as a wide receiver on the rise.
Bateman’s role is only going to grow within an expanding passing game, but it’s a different story for Andrews. He’s seeing multiple other targets begin to command more of his quarterback’s attention and it’s only going to get worse after the arrival of five-time Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins.
Jackson sounds excited about the prospect of targeting one of the game’s great receivers. He explained to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley why Hopkins “is different. He caught the ball so smoothly and got up [easily]. I don’t even think he put his other hand on the ground to get up; he just caught the ball and just started [running]. That’s some super vet type of stuff. It’s just dope to have him [here], and I am looking forward to throwing a lot of touchdowns to him this year.”
Hopkins is 33, but he’s already shown he has enough left to be a major factor in Baltimore. It’s one more reason the Ravens can be amenable to dealing Andrews before or during the season.
If they do, then joining the Seahawks or Panthers would allow Andrews to reclaim his status as a go-to target.
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