Mark Andrews' departure from the Baltimore Ravens seems inevitable.
The veteran tight end is entering the final year of his deal in 2025, and with the emergence of Isaiah Likely, moving on from the expensive Andrews has never made more sense.
Though Baltimore could look to hold on to Andrews for this season, Last Word on Sports' Anthony Palacios predicts the Ravens will cut ties with the 2018 third-round pick before the season and trade for Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz to replace him.
"Andrews has been rumored to be heading to another roster, and even if it looks like he will stay, it doesn’t make sense to keep him if they’re investing their future in Isaiah Likely. Schultz could be a capable backup at best behind Likely," Palacios wrote.
Schultz started 13 games for the Texans in 2024, hauling in 53 receptions for. 532 yards and two touchdowns. The 29-year-old has served as a nice security blanket for quarterback C.J. Stroud since arriving in Houston in 2023.
The Stanford product's most productive campaign came in 2021 with the Dallas Cowboys, when he tallied 808 yards and eight touchdowns on 78 receptions. Schultz spent five seasons with the Cowboys before signing a one-year deal with the Texans during the 2023 offseason. He signed a three-year extension worth $36 million last offseason.
Though Schultz can still be a difference-maker, it makes absolutely zero sense for the Ravens to trade for him. The 29-year-old would be a downgrade from Andrews and is on an expensive contract with a cap hit of $14 million in 2025.
Instead of moving on from Andrews and then trading for Schultz, Baltimore should just keep Andrews and move into this season with the same tight end room. It's also unlikely that Houston wants to move on from Schultz, who is still slated to be their starting tight end in 2025.
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