Mark Andrews One of Ravens Best Players in Training Camp
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — While much of the focus has been on the Ravens new wide receivers and revamped offensive line, tight end Mark Andrews is quietly going about his business and is one of the team's most dominant players in training camp.
Andrews has caught numerous passes in double coverage and has been a force in red-zone drills.
He is a free agent at the end of this season, but Andrews is solely focused on winning a championship.
"I want [us] to all be moving in the same direction and the same goal, which we are, which is a beautiful thing and just get better," Andrews said. "Just get better and better each and every day, take this training camp and try to be the best player that I can be for this team and try to help Lamar [Jackson] out and ‘G-Ro’ [offensive coordinator Greg Roman] and all the play-callers out that I can do. So, I don’t have too many set goals, but again, I’m just going to try to be the best teammate and best player that I can be for this team.”
Last season, Andrews had a team-high 58 receptions for 701 yards with seven touchdowns.
Andrews was recently ranked as the sixth-best tight end in the league by Pro Football Focus. Andrews was ranked behind top-rated Travis Kelce (Kanas City), George Kittle (San Francisco), Darren Waller (Las Vegas), Kyle Pitts (Atlanta) and Dallas Goedert (Philadelphia).
Andrews took over the starting job at tight end as a rookie and has become one of the team's most valuable players.
“Obviously, there are a lot of great tight ends in this league. I’m still a young player. I’ve done a good amount, but I try not to look too much into ratings and who rates me where and all that type of stuff – that’s just not who I am. I say I’m ‘Top 5,’ but that’s just more of kind of a mantra and what I believe in – having that belief in yourself type of thing," Andrews said. "But again, there are a lot of great tight ends. I feel like I’m in the upper echelon of those types of guys, but I still have a lot to prove and I’m ready to do that."
Andrews will earn a base salary of $920,000 this season before he can test the free-agent market.
New England inked a four-year, $50 million deal with Jonnu Smith that includes $31.25 million fully guaranteed. The Patriots also signed Hunter Henry to a three-year, $37.5 million deal, including $25 million guaranteed.
Kittle is the highest-paid tight end at $15 million per season, followed by Kelce at $14.3 million annually.
Andrews could be looking for a similar deal.
But his preference is to remain a Raven.
"We all are moving in the same direction, and that’s really all that I’m worried about right now," Andrews said. "You can’t worry about too much of the outside noise and what happens with that. I’m just going to let my play speak for itself. Obviously, I love Baltimore. I love being here, and I would love to be here for my whole life.”
