When the Baltimore Ravens designated tight end Mark Andrews to return from the injured reserve list late last week, there was real optimism that he would be able to play in the team’s Divisional Round playoff matchup with the Houston Texans this weekend.

Well, we should probably cool the jets on that.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Ravens are not likely to activate Andrews against the Texans. Instead, they are aiming to bring him back in the AFC Championship Game should they beat Houston this Saturday.

Andrews suffered an ankle injury during Baltimore’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals back in Week 11. He was ruled out for the remainder of the season right off the bat, but there was a sliver of hope that he could return for the playoffs.

Apparently, Andrews has made remarkable progress, as he began fully participating in practice this week.

In the 10 games he played during the regular season, Andrews caught 45 passes for 544 yards and six touchdowns.

The 28-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Oklahoma, was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

He entered the league the same year as Lamar Jackson, and midway through that season, Jackson took over as the full-time starting quarterback. Andrews instantly became Jackson’s favorite target and has remained his No. 1 guy in the aerial attack ever since.

Mark Andrews has made three trips to the Pro Bowl, with his best season coming in 2021, when he hauled in 107 receptions for 1,361 yards and nine scores.

The Ravens went 13-4 this year, good for the best record in the NFL. As a result, they earned a first-round bye.

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