Jets land All-Pro Justin Fields security blanket in hypothetical trade scenario

The New York Jets made a franchise-altering move this offseason by signing Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract. Now, as the organization works to rebuild its offense around the former first-round pick, the focus has shifted to surrounding him with the right supporting cast.

Enter Mark Andrews? Brooke Cersosimo of NFL.com recently proposed a hypothetical trade that would send the four-time Pro Bowl tight end to New York in a move designed to give Fields a proven, All-Pro security blanket in his first year with the Jets.

The Jets already used a second-round pick on former LSU standout Mason Taylor, but the thought of pairing him with an established veteran like Andrews is hard to ignore. It may just be a hypothetical mock trade, but it's worth considering the possibility.

Here’s what Cersosimo suggested:

"There has been some speculation this offseason about the Ravens moving their longtime tight end ... Andrews is a free agent in 2026, and with Baltimore needing to allocate money elsewhere, the team could save $11 million against the cap and gain future draft capital by trading him. In come the Jets, who are in the middle of a rebuild and need more pieces to help Justin Fields jump-start the offense. New York did draft Mason Taylor in the second round, but bringing in Andrews for a year to aid this unit and mentor the rookie makes sense."

Brooke Cersosimo

Could the NY Jets actually trade for Mark Andrews?

There’s no denying that Andrews has taken a step back from his peak, particularly in 2024. The three-time Pro Bowler tight end battled injuries early in the season and saw his role reduced as Isaiah Likely received more playing time in the Ravens’ offense.

Andrews still posted respectable numbers when healthy, but the explosive playmaking and dominant target share that once defined his game began to fade. It became clear that Baltimore was beginning to shift some of its offensive identity away from him.

For the Jets, that might not be a dealbreaker — far from it. Even a slightly diminished version of Andrews could offer a huge upgrade for a team that lacks proven pass-catchers beyond Garrett Wilson.

His ability to find soft spots in zone coverage, box out defenders in the red zone, and serve as a safety valve on broken plays would make him an ideal fit for a quarterback like Fields, who thrives when he has a go-to target in the middle of the field.

Fields, of course, is coming off a turbulent 2024 season in Pittsburgh, where he opened the year as the starter but was eventually benched in favor of Russell Wilson.

The Jets took a risk on the talented but inconsistent QB, hoping a new system and a fresh start under Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand would help unlock his potential.

Giving Fields a veteran tight end like Andrews, someone who’s played in big games and been a top option in a competitive AFC offense, would only help that process.

The Jets already added the aforementioned Taylor in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and they remain high on his long-term potential. But relying on a rookie at a notoriously difficult position to learn isn’t exactly a recipe for early success.

Pairing Taylor with Andrews could accelerate Taylor’s development while giving Fields the reliable veteran presence he simply doesn’t have in the current tight end room, which includes the likes of Jeremy Ruckert, Stone Smartt, Zack Kuntz, and Neal Johnson.

The deal might not be likely, as the Ravens would have to be convinced to move on from one of their longtime stars, but the logic behind it is sound. With Andrews entering the final year of his deal and Baltimore needing to prioritize cap space, the idea of selling high and reallocating resources isn’t out of the question.

If they do, the Jets should absolutely be interested, even if it doesn't fully fit with their offseason approach to this point.

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