Mark Andrews opens up about quarterback Lamar Jackson: “He’s a Raven for life”

The biggest storyline in perhaps the entire NFL this offseason is the ongoing contract negotiations between the Baltimore Ravens and star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson played the fifth and final year of his rookie deal without a new contract in place and is expected to be franchise tagged if the two sides cannot reach an agreement before the start of the new league year.

Tight end Mark Andrews recently spoke about his desire for Jackson to remain his quarterback on The Jim Rome Show.

“I know that Lamar wants to be a Raven,” said Andrews. “He’s passionate about that, being a part of this organization and I know they feel the same way about him.”

Andrews was then asked what kind of headspace Jackson would be in if he is tagged instead of reaching a long-term agreement.

“That would be tough,” Andrews said. “There’s one thing that I do know about Lamar, he’s an incredibly competitive person. He has a lot of respect for his teammates.”

When asked if he could imagine Jackson in another uniform, Andrews said, ““No I can’t. He’s a Raven. He’s a Raven for life. He’s meant for the purple.”

The Pro Bowl tight end also talked about Jackson on the Up and Adams show.

“Lamar always preaches that he’s a Raven and he wants to be a Raven,” Andrews said. “He loves the organization, he loves the people, he loves the team. I’m hoping both sides can find a way to get it done because he’s such a special player. He’s one of my favorite people in the world. He’s a great friend, a great person, and just a guy you always wanna have around.”

Andrews also defended Jackson’s absence at the end of the season when he was sidelined with a knee sprain that lingered longer than initially expected.

“He’s the ultimate competitor,” Andrews said. “If he could have been out there playing, he would have been out there playing.”