Harbaugh: 'Outside chance' TE Andrews returns

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens choky extremity Mark Andrews mightiness not beryllium finished for the season, aft all.

Ravens manager John Harbaugh provided a astonishment update connected Andrews connected Monday, saying there's "an extracurricular chance" that the three-time Pro Bowl choky extremity could instrumentality astatine immoderate constituent this season. This glimmer of anticipation comes 4 days aft Ravens officials had thought Andrews suffered a season-ending near ankle wounded during Thursday's 34-20 triumph implicit the Cincinnati Bengals.

"My knowing is successful talking with our trainer and the doctors is that it wasn't arsenic atrocious arsenic initially feared close aft the game," Harbaugh said. "It's a small cleaner than they thought based connected the MRI."

Harbaugh said Andrews is presently with Dr. Robert Anderson successful Charlotte, North Carolina, and the squad volition cognize much erstwhile helium returns aboriginal successful the week.

"There mightiness beryllium an extracurricular accidental helium could get backmost astatine immoderate constituent successful time," Harbaugh said. "So we'll conscionable person to spot however that goes though. And I don't privation to accidental that's definitive by immoderate stretch, but determination is immoderate optimism."

Asked if the Ravens are reasoning Andrews could instrumentality for the playoffs, Harbaugh said, "I don't adjacent privation to accidental close now. Once helium gets back, possibly aboriginal from this week, that's thing we could notation and speech astir due to the fact that we would conscionable cognize more. And besides I'd astir apt person to thin into Mark connected that too. What are his thoughts connected it? So I don't privation to talk for Mark either, but I'm archer you this, there's nary bigger competitor. Nobody wants to beryllium retired determination much than Mark Andrews."

Andrews, 28, has been Lamar Jackson's favourite people and 1 of the astir productive choky ends successful the NFL. Since 2019, Andrews trails lone Travis Kelce successful receptions (347), receiving yards (4,305) and touchdown catches (37) by a choky end. Andrews is 1 shy of tying Todd Heap for astir touchdown catches successful franchise past (41).

It was a important stroke erstwhile Andrews injured his ankle connected Baltimore's opening thrust connected Thursday. He was taken to the crushed by a arguable "hip drop" tackle by Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson.

Harbaugh said the determination connected whether to instrumentality enactment connected these types of tackles is "in bully hands" with the contention committee.

With Andrews sidelined, Baltimore is expected to thin much connected backup choky ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar. Harbaugh besides indicated the Ravens could usage much wide receiver packages successful Andrews' absence.

"Everything's connected the table, for sure," Harbaugh said. "Mark is simply a superstar player. It's intolerable to regenerate him, per se. We person to regenerate him unneurotic arsenic a radical and I truly judge we tin bash it. And past erstwhile helium gets back, we'll conscionable beryllium that overmuch stronger for it whenever that is."