Grading ESPN’s Chargers-Ravens Mark Andrews trade proposal

Here are the terms of Barnwell’s proposed trade before we dive into any analysis.

Chargers receive: 

• TE Mark Andrews
• 2025 first-round pick (27th overall)
• 2025 fourth-round pick (136th overall)

Ravens receive: 

• G Zion Johnson
• 2025 first-round pick (22nd overall)

This hypothetical trade must be music to the ears of Chargers fans.

Jim Harbaugh loves to run the football and set up play-action passes off the back of it. The Chargers have an okay tight end room at the moment (Will Dissly, Tyler Conklin) but they could really use an upgrade, especially as a pass catcher. That’s where Andrews comes in.

The perception on Mark Andrews is lower than it has been in quite some time.

Andrews had a solid 2024 campaign, hauling in 55 receptions for 673 yards and 11 touchdowns. This was the most touchdowns of Andrews’ career, but he did see his role in Baltimore’s offense diminish slightly.

There are a few reasons why Andrews’ production slipped. One was the addition of RB Derrick Henry to Baltimore’s offense. Naturally, when you acquire a player like Henry, you want to give him the ball whenever you can. It is obvious that Henry stole touches from multiple Ravens players, including Andrews.

The other main reason could be competition with fellow tight end Isaiah Likely. Andrews was the unquestioned top tight end in Baltimore over the past few seasons. However, Likely had a career season that mixes things up quite a bit.

Likely hauled in 42 receptions for 477 yards and six touchdowns.

It feels inevitable that Likely will eventually overtake Andrews for the top tight end spot in Baltimore.

As a result, the Ravens may view Andrews as a movable asset.

Zion Johnson is an interesting part of this trade.

Johnson may mean much more to the Ravens than he does to the Chargers. As a result, he would be an important piece in this hypothetical trade.

“The Chargers, meanwhile, have prioritized their offensive line under both the Hortiz and Tom Telesco regimes, but Johnson hasn’t lived up to expectations,” Barnwell explained. “The 2022 first-round pick has been average in his career, and there are real questions about whether L.A. will want to pick up his fifth-year option, which would guarantee him $17.6 million in 2026. Andrews is the more prominent player, but Johnson might be equally as desirable given his youth and the recent positional importance of guards.”

The Ravens do need to upgrade their offensive line, especially on the interior. Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele are useful pieces, but there is hardly anyone behind them to provide depth.

If Baltimore added Johnson, they would gain a talented depth player at worst. However, Johnson has the upside necessary to potentially win a starting spot in training camp. His long-term contract situation is not ideal, but he could be a valuable patch for 2025 with some future upside.

If this trade actually happened, I’d expect it to occur during the 2025 NFL Draft.

It is difficult to anticipate how much of a difference five spots in the first round can make before the draft. However, once players start flying off the board, it could make the difference between landing a star player and missing out on him.

Perhaps the Chargers and Ravens could agree in principle to the terms of a trade and then pull the trigger on draft day if the right opportunity presents itself.