Mark Andrews on His Future: 'You Can't Be Surprised by Anything, But I'm a Raven'
Tight end Mark Andrews' future with the Ravens has been one of the main talking points surrounding the team this offseason. Entering the final year of his contract, the three-time Pro Bowler has been the subject of trade speculation.
Andrews recently addressed the situation for the first time when speaking to reporters during a promotional tour for Dexcom U, a NIL program exclusively for college athletes with diabetes.
"At the end of the day, I think [General Manager Eric DeCosta] said it perfectly: He's in the business of keeping great players and it's a business at the end of the day," Andrews told ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. "You can't be surprised by anything, but I'm a Raven."
Andrews was referencing DeCosta's comments at last week's pre-draft press conference. When asked about Andrews' future, DeCosta praised him for being "a warrior," but also said "I never know what's going to happen."
Andrews said he is focused on preparing for the coming season and helping the Ravens get over the hump in the playoffs.
"I know the Ravens and my relationship is incredibly strong and I trust in [DeCosta] and everybody there over at the Ravens," Andrews said. "And there's nothing on my end really to share. For me, it's just been working hard this offseason and trying to get in the best shape of my life, trying to have the best season of my life coming up and winning a Super Bowl."
The Ravens' Super Bowl quest last season ended with a 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. Andrews had a costly fourth quarter fumble and dropped a two-point conversion pass that would have tied the game with 1:33 remaining.
Andrews said he noticed his gloves were "soaked" when he was in the huddle prior to the two-point conversion attempt.
"I'm thinking, 'Do I take it off? Do I not?' It was so fast and so quick that it just happened," Andrews said. "And at the end of the day, I still should have caught the ball. I still should have made that play.
"That's sports, man. Things happen. I know the type of player that I am, what I can do, and it is what it is. It was tough, wasn't the best game and I'm looking forward to redemption."
Jeff Zrebiec Looks at Ravens' Best- and Worst-Case First-Round Scenarios
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec identified the best- and worst-case first-round scenarios for the Ravens when they're on the clock with the 27th-overall pick.
"The ideal situation would be the Ravens having a shot at one of the better pass rushers (Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart, Boston College's Donovan Ezeiruaku, Tennessee's James Pearce Jr.), a few of the first-round-caliber offensive linemen (Alabama's Tyler Booker, Ohio State's Josh Simmons, Texas' Kelvin Banks Jr., North Dakota State's Grey Zabel) or one of the top safeties (Georgia's Malaki Starks, South Carolina's Nick Emmanwori)," Zrebiec wrote. "If any of Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, Alabama inside linebacker Jihaad Campbell or Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon are available, that's even better."
Zrebiec said the worst-case scenario would be having to settle for a player who they have graded outside the top 20.
"Typically, the Ravens can land one of their top-20 guys, regardless of where they are drafting," Zrebiec wrote. "Baltimore is going to have options either way. However, if there's a run on offensive linemen, if the top two safeties are already gone, and if the available edge rushers are not guys the Ravens are high on, then it will feel like they are settling at 27."
In The Athletic’s beat writer mock draft, Zrebiec has the Ravens taking Booker.
"Booker is a plug-and-play guard with Pro Bowl potential," Zrebiec wrote. "He's a mauler in the run game and fits the Ravens' style perfectly. It was tough to bypass one of the safeties, but this draft class features some very good Day 2 options. This draft is about solidifying the trenches for Baltimore."
Ravens Urged to Avoid Polarizing Edge Rusher Prospect
Stewart is among the players linked to the Ravens in mock drafts. However, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski said Stewart is a prospect the Ravens should avoid.
"There are two things the Baltimore Ravens just love to do during the NFL draft," Sobleski wrote. "First, the organization is probably the best at simply standing pat and letting a top talent come to them. Second, the front office enjoys drafting toolsy, developmental edge rushers. If Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart is available, he fits both criteria. Really, the Ravens need to resist.
"Yes, Stewart presents tremendous upside. He's an elite athlete with the type of profile that signals a 10-sack-per-season career. But he's never been that prospect at the collegiate level. Furthermore, the Ravens don't have time to waste on waiting another three or four years hoping Stewart develops, as Odafe Oweh eventually did. With Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP level on an annual basis, the Ravens need immediate impact additions."
To Sobleski's point, Stewart is a polarizing prospect due to his freakish athleticism, which was on full display at the Combine, and limited production (4.5 sacks in 37 career collegiate games).
Getting Edge Rusher Mykel Williams Would Be 'Classic Ravens Thing'
CBS Sports' Mike Renner believes there are four directions the Ravens could go in with the 27th-overall pick: edge rusher, left guard, cornerback, defensive lineman.
Renner said the Ravens should go with an edge rusher, specifically Georgia's Mykel Williams if he's on the board.
"I just lean toward Williams because he shows the closest thing to an NFL skillset right now," Renner said on “The Athletic Football Show.” "And it's not as if he doesn't have tools that could reach a high end at the NFL level. My comp for him is Carlos Dunlap, He's just a real good power end."
The Athletic's Robert Mays said the Ravens selecting Williams "makes total sense."
"This would just be a classic Ravens thing where a guy who is 12th on everybody's boards is sitting there at 27," Mays said.
Renner said cornerback is his least favorite position for the Ravens in the first round because they took one in the first round last year in Nate Wiggins.
"Back-to-back years using a first-rounder on a corner — and even a few years ago using one on a safety — is just a lot of resources on a position where ROI (return on investment}is generally not as much as an edge in the first round," Renner said. "You can find corners later, but it's hard to find high-end edges later."
Ravens Take Kentucky Cornerback in 'Chaos' Mock Draft
Fox Sports’ Henry McKenna wanted to think outside the box for his mock draft and "bring the chaos" by making selections that went against the conventional thinking.
He had the Ravens taking Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston in the first round.
"Now here's a freak athlete," McKenna wrote. "He ran a 4.28 40-yard dash and jumped 39.5 inches. He's tall enough at 5-foot-11. Best of all, you can plainly see all of that athleticism on his film. He should step right into Baltimore's lineup and improve its 31st-ranked pass defense."
