Travis Kelce isn’t the NFL’s only well-established tight end off to a slow start this season.
The Baltimore Ravens’ Mark Andrews is a three-time Pro Bowler, but he has only six receptions for 65 yards and no touchdown catches through three games. In the Week 3 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Andrews had only one target and no catches – the first time in 76 regular-season games he didn’t have at least one reception – while playing only one-third of Baltimore’s offensive snaps.
But Andrews isn’t doubting himself. The 29-year-old tight end said Thursday he believes his best is still ahead of him.
"My time will come," Andrews said, via the team’s official website.
Andrews suffered a serious injury to his foot and ankle in Week 11 last season and was shelved until the Ravens’ AFC Championship Game loss to the Chiefs. He also was involved in a car crash in August, which Andrews called “a serious thing.”
But Andrews, who hasn’t been listed on any of the Ravens’ injury reports this season, made it clear that there’s no physical issue he’s dealing with.
"I feel great. I think you saw in the film, you see the way I'm moving. I think I'm doing a lot of things better than I ever have," Andrews said. "And, yeah, you know, it's different. We've got a different team, but I still feel incredibly good and fast and strong.
“And I'm the same player I've always been. It's just (that) balls haven't come my way."
In the Ravens’ first two games, Andrews was busier, starting the season opener and playing more than 60% of the team’s offensive snaps in each. Earlier this week, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh explained Andrews’ light Week 3 usage by saying the Ravens used more “big personnel” in a ground-heavy attack that saw them run the ball 45 times and throw only 15 passes. Harbaugh also praised Andrews’ blocking when he was in there, such as on Lamar Jackson’ first-quarter TD run.
As with Kelce, who has only eight catches for 69 yards for the Kansas City Chiefs, Andrews’ fantasy owners might not love that explanation. But that’s the least of Andrews’ concerns.
"I mean, all that (fantasy speculation) is good and stuff, but they don't know what's going on inside this building and how we're working and what I'm doing,” Andrews said. “They're not watching me every play. They're not seeing the type of work that I'm putting in. And so, all good things come with time."
Andrews is fifth on the Ravens in targets, behind fellow fellow tight end Isaiah Likely, who emerged as a big receiving threat when Andrews was hurt last season and has continued that role in 2024. The Ravens also have leaned more on Derrick Henry the past two games, where he’s had a combined 43 carries.
But in Andrews’ mind, he still can be the receiving threat who averaged 69 catches, 861 receiving yards and seven TDs per season from 2019 to 2013 – even while missing a dozen games over that five-year stretch.
"You know, obviously I want the ball. I want to be able to help this team win," Andrews said. "But it's just knowing that your time will come and just keep going."