Can the Ravens 30-Year-Old Three-Time Pro Bowl Tight End Return to Form in 2026?
As the Baltimore Ravens and first-year head coach Jesse Minter prepare for training camp next month ahead of the 2026 season, Baltimore's tight end room faces major questions amid a new regime and the loss of talent in free agency. Those departures have raised questions about whether longtime veteran tight end Mark Andrews, who has become quarterback Lamar Jackson's favorite target over the years, can deliver a bounce-back season in 2026. Andrews enters the upcoming campaign with an opportunity to reset the narrative surrounding him. With Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar both departing in free agency, Andrews, now 30 years old, will need to increase his production after below-standard seasons in 2024 and 2025. Those struggles led to criticism regarding his reliability in the postseason and in high-pressure moments, an issue that plagued the Ravens as a whole during the John Harbaugh era.
Andrews, who was drafted by the Ravens in 2018 out of the University of Oklahoma, has established himself as one of the most productive tight ends in franchise history. Through eight seasons, the 30-year-old has earned three Pro Bowl selections and was named First-Team All-Pro in 2021. He currently ranks first in franchise history among tight ends in receptions with 473, receiving yards with 5,862, and receiving touchdowns with 56. Due to that production, the Ravens rewarded Andrews with a contract extension in 2021 and, more recently, a three-year, $39.3 million extension last season that included $26 million guaranteed as he entered the final year of his previous deal. The extension sparked debate among fans and analysts about whether Baltimore should have committed that money to Andrews or instead invested in the younger Isaiah Likely, who had shown greater reliability in the postseason.
Ultimately, Andrews' extension contributed to Likely departing Baltimore to reunite with Harbaugh and join the New York Giants. As Minter and the new coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, work to establish their offensive identity and philosophy, Andrews will play a critical role in helping Jackson remain comfortable in a changing system. Andrews is expected to be the lone returning veteran in Baltimore's tight end room after the Ravens selected two rookies in this year's draft. As the Arizona native remains a central figure in the offense, the pressure and expectations surrounding him will only continue to increase. Andrews will be looking to prove that past postseason disappointments, including his costly fumble and dropped game-tying two-point conversion against the Buffalo Bills in the 2024 Divisional Round, do not define his career. Fair or not, those moments have shaped how many view him in high-stakes situations, making the 2026 season an opportunity for Andrews to redeem himself and prove he can still be counted on as one of the league's premier tight ends despite recent signs of declining production.
