Report: Baltimore Ravens not expected to activate Mark Andrews for playoff game vs Houston

Despite significant progress this week, tight end Mark Andrews reportedly will not be activated before the Baltimore Ravens kick off against the Houston Texans on Saturday. Andrews was a full participant in practice this week after the Ravens started his 21-day practice window, but according to Ian Rapoport, he is “not quite ready to return.”

If the Ravens beat the Texans on Saturday to move on to the AFC Championship game, the team could still activate Andrews to assist next week. Getting the star back at any point in the playoffs would be a boon for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense.

The Pro Bowl tight end suffered a fractured fibula and damaged a ligament in his ankle in the mid-November game against Cincinnati. Andrews went down on a hip-drop tackle, which resulted in his lower leg becoming trapped underneath the weight of the tackler as the defender came crashing in.

“Mark is still up in the air,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said on Thursday after Andrews had his “best practice yet” on Wednesday.

Before his injury, Andrews was Jackson’s top target in the red zone. The duo has 11 red zone touchdown connections over the last two seasons, which ranks third in the league.

The former third-round draft pick out of Oklahoma was having a stellar season before injury. He was second on the team in receiving yards behind only wide receiver Zay Flowers who has 564 yards and 10 touchdowns. Andrews also led all tight ends at the time of injury with six touchdowns on 45 receptions with 544 yards.

Alas, Andrews’ injury didn’t derail the Ravens’ path to the playoffs. They went 13-4 and secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC. With the No. 1 seed, they earned a first-round bye, so they didn’t have to play last weekend. Now, they’re readying to take on the Houston Texans, led by rookie quarterback CJ Stroud.

NFL Divisional Round Playoff Schedule

Saturday, Jan. 20

AFC Divisional Round Game – (4) Houston at (1) Baltimore
Site: Baltimore
Time/TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC
NFC Divisional Round Game – (7) Green Bay at (1) San Francisco
Site: San Francisco, Calif.
Time/TV: 8 p.m. ET, FOX

Sunday, Jan. 21

NFC Divisional Round Game – (4) Tampa Bay at (3) Detroit
Site: Detroit, Mich.
Time/TV: 3 p.m. ET, NBC
AFC Divisional Round Game – (3) Kansas City at (2) Buffalo
Site: Buffalo
Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, CBS