Mark Andrews happy NFL banned hip drop tackle, expects Ravens to utilize more two TE sets in 2024 with Isaiah Likely

If last year’s events haven’t enlightened you yet, we are currently in the era of the tight end.

History books might gloss over this reality, instead deferring to the generation’s best (Travis Kelce) to tell the story. But Buffalo’s selection of Dalton Kincaid in 2023 and Las Vegas’ choice of Brock Bowers in the first round the past two Aprils should tell the story: Offenses are looking to create advantages with the tight end. And the position is poised to take off in 2024 and beyond.

Count the Baltimore Ravens among them. After relying heavily on Mark Andrews over the last five years, Baltimore discovered it had another worthy player at the position once Andrews went down with an injury. His name: Isaiah Likely.

Expect to see them on the field together more in 2024 as part of offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s new wrinkle in a scheme that saw Lamar Jackson win NFL MVP last season.

Andrews expressed enthusiasm about Baltimore’s increasing use of 12 personnel, stating it’s going to be a unique experience, according to the team’s official transcript. “With two dynamic players like us, we can create mismatches anywhere on the field, making it tough for opponents to strategize. We both love the game and enjoy competition, so it’s going to be an exciting time,” he added.

Truly, our entire tight end team is remarkable at the moment, and I’m thrilled about it. We’re consistently striving to improve and progress daily. I’m extremely grateful for the tight end team we have and our continuous efforts to improve. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how we are utilized.

Last season, he likely thrived in Andrews’ position, catching 21 passes for 322 yards and five touchdowns from Weeks 12-18 as the Ravens’ primary tight end. If he had previously worked under the radar, maintaining such obscurity became officially unfeasible moving forward.

“On Tuesday, Likely commented that it was indeed a confidence boost, according to the Ravens’ transcript,” he stated. “It clearly demonstrated to me that the game is slowing down. Throughout the entire offseason, all the hard work and preparation I invested throughout the year and leading up to that moment, it was certainly time for it to pay off,” Likely added.

The increase in Likely’s production seems to have alerted Baltimore’s staff to a previously untapped schematic and personnel advantage, which wasn’t utilized before Andrews’ injury. Now, they are prepared to take advantage of this.

Andrews commented, “The tight end role in the NFL is continually expanding, as can be seen everywhere. These players are among the top athletes on the field, with their height, strength, and ability to catch passes. I appreciate our potential in this regard. I believe it’s something we’ll keep developing, with players like myself, ‘Like’ [Isaiah Likely], and others. It promises to be exciting, especially when we strategize for games and just enjoy playing football. Clearly, Lamar Jackson prefers his tight ends, so we’re committed to making ourselves available for him.”

The primary challenge for Andrews in the forthcoming season will not be related to strategy or usage. His main task is to maintain his health, something he has had difficulty with previously.

Luckily for Andrews, the NFL is trying to help him and many other ballcarriers by banning the hip drop tackle — the same tackle that caused his injury in 2023 — much to the chagrin of some former players.

It’s understandable that Andrews believes it’s for the best.

“On Tuesday, he expressed his views, saying, “I believe it’s occasionally part of the game. I’m consistently in support of enhancing the game’s safety. If you reflect on the previous five years, there have been numerous significant injuries related to that. Therefore, raising awareness about that kind of tackle, I believe, is beneficial. Maintaining players’ health is going to be fantastic. I don’t think eliminating that tackle from the game is detrimental. I feel that the defenses can devise a strategy to adapt to that.”

Defenses must also devise strategies to halt Baltimore’s two-tight end sets. Otherwise, if Andrews and Likely get their way, they’ll spend their Sundays trailing behind them.