NFL News: Baltimore Ravens Hand TE Mark Andrews 4-Year, $56 Million Extension

The Baltimore Ravens have secured their no. 1 tight end Mark Andrews after signing him to a four-year extension, the team announced Monday.

The deal is worth $56 million, or $14 million per season, ESPN reported, citing an unnamed source. International Business Times could not independently verify this information.

This figure makes Andrews the third-highest paid tight end in the league behind George Kittle ($15 million average) of the San Francisco 49ers and Travis Kelce ($14.3 million average) of the Kansas City Chiefs.

A source familiar with the deal told the Associated Press that Andrews will receive $37.6 million in guaranteed money. He will be paid $26.6 million by March 2022, said the insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity because terms of the contract were not released.

The contract extension came at the perfect time as the announcement was made on Andrews’ 26th birthday.

“Mark [Andrews] is exactly the type of player we wish to keep as a Raven long-term,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said in a press release announcing the extension. “He’s competitive, passionate, talented and a leader. We are so excited to have him in Baltimore for the next five years. Congratulations to Mark and his family — and happy birthday.”

Andrews has proven to be one of the best tight ends in the NFL today, so it is no surprise that the Ravens made sure to lock him in through the 2025 season.

The 2019 Pro Bowler etched his name in the franchise’s history books as the only tight end to produce multiple seasons of at least 700 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

Andrews had a team-high 58 catches for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games last season as the Ravens saw their season come to a close thanks to a 17-3 defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional round.

“I love Baltimore. I love being here. I love playing here. I want to be here for the rest of my life, man. This is home for me. So that’s where I’m at. I’m just going to, as a player, be the best player that I can be for this team,” said Andrews in June.

Through three seasons in Baltimore, the tight end became 2019 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson’s favorite target as he amassed a total of 2,105 yards on 156 receptions and 20 touchdowns.

When Jackson took over the starting role full-time midway through the 2018 season, Andrews caught 132 passes, 34 more than any other Ravens pass-catcher.

Keeping Andrews in Baltimore was the franchise’s biggest priority going into next season, and with this new deal, Jackson is next in line for an extension as his contract expires after the 2022-23 season.

Andrews and the Ravens open their 2021/22 NFL season on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 14.