The Ravens are getting a big boost at the right time.
Star tight end Mark Andrews has been on injured reserve since November with a left ankle injury, but was activated ahead of the Ravens' AFC Championship game against the Chiefs on Sunday.
The news should be a boon for the AFC's No. 1 seed, which has looked like one of the top teams in the conference all season with a league-leading 13-4 record, but will need all the help it can get against the Chiefs. Ranked 2nd in defense.
Andrews, a three-time Pro Bowler, caught 45 passes this year before going down with an injury after a controversial hip-drop tackle in Baltimore's 34-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 16. He had 544 yards and six touchdowns.
The 28-year-old pass catcher has been one of Lamar Jackson's favorite targets since 2019, and Andrews' 4,305 receiving yards since that season rank third in the league among tight ends.
Coach Jackson said in Wednesday's press conference that Andrews' return will be big for the Ravens' offense.
“It would mean a lot,” the quarterback said. “Like I said, that's my bread and butter, man. It's definitely going to mean a lot. We've got guys who have already stepped up. Likely, Bate, OB, Nellie, Charlie (Isaiah). Likely, Rashod Bateman, Odell Beckham Jr., Charlie Kolar), we've got guys that have stepped up. But when you think about Mark and the type of guy he is and what he brings to us, there's no question that. It will mean a lot.”
In place of Andrews, the 23-year-old Likely stepped up for the Ravens and rushed for a career-best 411 yards, five touchdowns, and a score in Baltimore's 34-10 win over the Texans in the divisional round.
The Ravens initially thought Andrews' injury would be season-ending, but he has been able to practice the past two weeks.
Andrews did his part in the recovery process. bring in a hyperbaric chamber I went to his house to speed up my return to the field.
