Mark Andrews turned in one of the worst games of his career in the worst possible moment in the Baltimore Ravens' loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional Round. For a moment, it looked like Andrews was a member of the LA Chargers when he coughed up a consequential fumble and dropped the game-tying two-point conversion.
Andrews may not be donning the powder blue yet, but his Chargers-esque performance on Sunday night may have cemented his future in Los Angeles in 2025.
The idea of adding Andrews may not be very intriguing to Chargers fans after seeing what he did against the Bills. However, just because it may not be intriguing to fans does not mean it is any less likely to happen. And as it stands right now, the stars are aligning for Andrews to be a Charger.
Mark Andrews may leave Ravens to join the Chargers this offseason
Andrews has one more season left under contract with a $16.9 million cap hit in 2025. If Baltimore cuts or trades Andrews before June 1 the team would save $11 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. With Baltimore only sporting $6.5 million in projected effective cap space, the team may look to part ways with the veteran tight end to piece together a complete offseason.
Andrews has not played at a Pro Bowl level the last two seasons and averaged the fewest yards per game since his rookie season. With Isaiah Likely waiting in the wings, Baltimore has every reason not to pay Andrews elite tight end money.
If the team was at all on the fence about it heading into the NFL Playoffs, Sunday's game may have been the deciding factor.
The Chargers are easily the most logical destination for Andrews if his time in Baltimore is up. Not only do the Bolts have a need at tight end, but general manager Joe Hortiz spent two decades in Baltimore and has not been shy about bringing in former Ravens.
With ample cap space, the Chargers could even trade for Andrews if the team just wanted a one-year commitment and wanted to prevent him from going elsewhere. The cost would be a late day-three pick, so it is not hard to see how the Chargers could talk themselves into the move.
Fans loving or hating this idea does not change the reality of the situation. Plus, Andrews could still offer something to the Chargers and make LA a better football team next season.
If Andrews is the lone solution at tight end then the Chargers are in trouble. The team cannot sell itself on his namesake and expect him to be a savior when he is not that guy anymore. However, if he is part of a bigger solution then the Chargers could be onto something.
Perhaps the Chargers fall in love with a different first-round prospect, instead opting to take a pass-catching tight end in round two or three. In this situation, the Bolts could couple that rookie with Andrews and Will Dissly. As part of a three-headed monster, Andrews could still have value.
That being said, the Chargers don't need to add Andrews. There are other ways for the team to bolster the tight-end position. Because of his ties to the front office, though, Andrews must be considered an offseason target.