'Don't Need to Panic!' Ravens Mark Andrews Injury Update

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has missed the last three practices with a minor injury, but coach John Harbaugh allayed any fears and stated his Pro Bowler should be ready for Week 1.

The regular season is getting closer, and for the Baltimore Ravens, the opening game against the Houston Texans can't come quickly enough. However, Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews has been a glaring omission from the last three practices, and coach John Harbaugh stated last week that Andrews is "dealing with something that we're kind of working through right now."

Cue the fear and anxiety from Ravens fans as the prospect of Andrews not suiting up in Week 1 seemed real. Well, those fears have been put to bed as Harbaugh gave an update on his tight end.

“You don’t need to panic about that," Harbaugh said. "Tell the fans it’s going to be OK. He should be out there practicing next week. I expect him to play in the game, and he should be fine. That’s where we’re at with that.”

With Andrews being a big part of Todd Monken's offense going forward, not having him for Week 1 would have been a slight setback. But luckily, that doesn't seem to be the case. Of course, Baltimore isn't going to take any risk either, so we expect a slow burn for Andrews in the lead-up to Week 1.

If, for some reason, Andrews doesn't play, Baltimore has another tight end, Charlie Kolar, who could step up in his absence. For Kolar, he is coming off a good preseason of production as he finally gets consistent reps under his belt. In his preseason outings, Kolar caught eight passes for 120 yards, and Harbaugh likes the improvement he has seen in his second-year tight end.

“He’s become a much better blocker and contested catches, I think that’s something he’s taken a big step forward with,” Harbaugh said. “Big plays, middle of the field, controlling the middle of the field, that’s his goal. He’s very capable of doing that. You saw it flash really well in the preseason.”

So there is cover if Andrews isn't fit for the season opener, with Kolar showing impressive signs during training camp. But Andrews is a different beast, and the entire Ravens fanbase will sleep a little easier knowing that their three-time Pro Bowler is expected to suit up come Week 1.