Last week, Arizona Cardinals’ tight end Trey McBride received a four-year, $76 million contract extension with $43 million guaranteed — making him the highest paid player at his position in NFL history. McBride’s new contract carries an annual average of $19 million, which leapfrogs Travis Kelce ($17 million) for the top mark of all tight ends.
When a market-resetting signing or extension occurs, it has implications for other players and teams around the league. For the Baltimore Ravens, McBride’s new contract may have a significant impact on their strategy at the tight end position.
All three of the Ravens’ tight ends are currently under contract for just one more year, making the upcoming 2026 season a pivotal one. Mark Andrews is entering the final season of his previous four-year extension, while Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar will be in the last year of their rookie deals.
With the annual average for tight ends now raised by McBride’s deal, each one of the Ravens’ tight ends could have higher market value as a result. Logistically, regardless of how much they all would cost to retain, it’s unlikely the Ravens will be able to keep all three of them together. Thus raises the question of what their strategy will be at the position.
Andrews’ future with the Ravens has been a central talking point this offseason on the heels of a poor performance in the team’s divisional round playoff loss. Against the Buffalo Bills, Andrews notably lost a fumble and dropped a two-point conversion pass that would have tied the game late in the fourth quarter.
The former All-Pro has been one of the NFL’s elite tight ends for several years now and a driving offensive force for the Ravens since 2018. His 11 touchdown catches last season made him the team’s all-time franchise leader in receiving scores, surpassing fellow tight end Todd Heap. However, his 55 catches and 673 receiving yards were the lowest marks in a season in which he played a minimum of 14 games since his rookie year.
Andrews’ game-to-game production fluctuated and his role on offense was more inconsistent. He finished third on the team in receiving yardage behind Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. In determining whether or not to give Andrews another contract, the Ravens will have to weigh a number of factors; including his all-time franchise status, current skills and age, market value, and what other tight end options are available.
Other tight end options include those already on the roster, namely Isaiah Likely. Likely caught a career-high 42 passes for 477 receiving yards last season with six touchdowns. The rising four-year pro has made a number of key plays for the Ravens since 2022 but has not yet emerged as a full-time regular contributor, mostly because he’s behind Andrews on the depth chart.
However, even in a rotational role, Likely has shown flashes of high-level ability. Last year, he started the season with a bang by catching nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Then, he ended the year on a high note as well, leading the Ravens in receiving in the divisional round with 73 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown reception.
Likely is five years younger than Andrews with less pedigree and lacks the same established track record. However, he could potentially be worth a higher-than-expected amount on the open market, even right now, given his youth and raw talent and athletic ability. The Ravens would surely love to keep both players as a dynamic duo, but the probability is low given salary cap limitations and the need to allocate resources elsewhere.
Kolar is the third banana in the picture, having been used mostly as a blocker on offense over the past three seasons. However, he’s been a quality utility piece for the Ravens and has made some receiving impact at times, too. The Ravens could probably retain Kolar for a lower-cost deal and anticipate he can emerge as a No. 2 option on the depth chart, if they sought to do so.
The Ravens could look to lock up one or more of their tight ends before they would hit free agency in 2026. A contract extension before this September or during the upcoming season is not out of the question. Alternatively, they could choose to let the 2026 season play out and factor in the performances of each player next year in their decision-making. The other wild card scenario is a trade, which some have speculated they could do specifically with Andrews. That seems much less likely, but can’t be ruled out entirely.
Either way, the Ravens are faced with a bit of a dilemma at the tight end position, and McBride’s new contract only complicates the situation further.
