Baltimore’s Mark Andrews Among The NFL’s Elite Tight Ends

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Mark Andrews takes a batch of pridefulness successful the presumption helium plays. That was evident erstwhile helium was asked if helium feels similar a wide receiver trapped successful a choky end’s body.

“Nah man, I’m a choky end,” helium said Wednesday. “Especially, it’s nationalist choky extremity day, I think, this Sunday, truthful I’m excited astir that.”

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And however is helium readying connected celebrating that peculiar holiday?

“Going off.”

If Andrews so has a large crippled this weekend, that wouldn’t beryllium overmuch of a change. The Baltimore standout has been 1 of the AFC’s apical walk catchers truthful acold this season, helping Lamar Jackson and the Ravens flooded a slew of injuries en way to the conference’s champion record.

Andrews has 34 catches for 468 yards connected the season, ranking successful the apical 10 successful the AFC successful some categories. His stats are remarkably akin to those of Travis Kelce, the reigning All-Pro astatine the position. Before the season, Andrews agreed to a four-year, $56 cardinal declaration extension, and since past he’s shown conscionable however important helium is to this offense.

Pro Football Focus presently gives Andrews the highest violative people of immoderate NFL choky end, up of Kelce, George Kittle, Rob Gronkowski and different large names–although arsenic Andrews points out, there’s a agelong mode to go.

“There’s a batch of enactment near to beryllium done. The occupation is not finished yet,” helium said. “At the extremity of the day, there’s truly lone 1 happening that I attraction about, and that’s astatine the extremity of the season.”

The Ravens drafted Andrews successful the 3rd circular successful 2018, and earlier this season, helium was already the archetypal choky extremity successful squad past to person aggregate seasons of astatine slightest 700 yards receiving and 7 touchdown catches.

After getting his large extension, helium had a quiescent crippled successful a season-opening nonaccomplishment astatine Las Vegas. Since then, Andrews has had astatine slightest 5 catches successful each game–and Baltimore has won each 5 of them.

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In a Monday nighttime triumph implicit Indianapolis connected Oct. 11, Andrews had 11 receptions for 147 yards, some vocation highs. He besides caught 2 fourth-quarter touchdowns and 2 2-point conversions, helping the Ravens unit overtime. It was a memorable nighttime connected nationalist tv for Jackson and Andrews.

Jackson, Baltimore’s prima quarterback, said helium could consciousness during the offseason that Andrews was acceptable for a large year.

“He was getting aft it successful Arizona erstwhile we were moving out,” Jackson said. “He conscionable wants to beryllium the best, and that’s what you request retired of your players. Your choky end–whatever presumption they play–you privation the champion retired of them, and that’s what he’s shown.”

It’s been peculiarly important for Andrews to beryllium astatine his champion due to the fact that of each the unit connected Baltimore’s passing game, which ranked past successful the NFL past season. The Ravens drafted receiver Rashod Bateman and acquired receiver Sammy Watkins successful an effort to springiness Jackson much help, but Bateman missed the archetypal 5 games due to the fact that of groin problems, and erstwhile helium yet did play past play against the Chargers, Watkins was retired with an injury.

Throw successful injuries to moving backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, and the Ravens person needed Jackson to beryllium productive throwing the ball–while relying importantly connected the aforesaid apical walk catchers arsenic past season.

Jackson and Andrews person been up to the task. In fact, their transportation looks adjacent amended successful 2021.

“He understands this discourtesy truthful well,” Andrews said of his quarterback. “He’s ever had large shot placement and large eyes, but conscionable the mode he’s seeing the game, the crippled is progressing. It’s slowed down to him a bunch.”

NOTES: The Ravens got different TE backmost Wednesday erstwhile they designated Nick Boyle (knee) to instrumentality from injured reserve. He was connected the tract astatine practice.

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