Rams floated in wild Mark Andrews trade that could redefine NFC race

The Los Angeles Rams are 5-2 and tied at the top of the NFC West with the Seattle Seahawks, and with the San Francisco 49ers not far behind at 5-3. With the trade deadline looming, what other moves will the Rams make to improve their stock in not only their division but the conference as well?

Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report boldly predicted Los Angeles to swing for the fences and trade for Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. This would constitute a bold trade indeed because the Ravens, even at 2-5, might not see themselves as sellers.

That being said, it could make sense for the Ravens to deal Andrews due to his contract being up and Isaiah Likely waiting in the wings behind him. That's precisely why Gagnon listed this trade in his piece.

"It's a walk year for Andrews, and the Ravens might look to get something for the veteran now before committing long-term to the younger Isaiah Likely in the offseason. Meanwhile, the Rams could use another veteran weapon to support their top two receivers for a potential playoff run."

Bold Mark Andrews trade idea could elevate Rams above NFC rivals

While this would be an incredible trade for the Rams, who could use another weapon for Matthew Stafford down the stretch and in the playoffs, it would indeed be risky for the Ravens. Gagnon wrote that it'd be risky because Andrews is coming off an 11-touchdown season in 2024, and Likely has been slowly recovering from his injury this season. Trading production like that for someone still nursing an injury, especially for a 2-5 team desperate for wins, is going to be looked at as a ballsy move.

Ultimately, Gagnon predicted that the Rams would part ways with a middle-round pick for Andrews, who goes on to help this team get into the playoffs, at the very least. A middle-round pick for a guy who, again, is coming off an 11-touchdown season would be a home run trade for the Rams, whose TE1 as of this writing is 32-year-old Tyler Higbee.

The Rams have never seemed to prioritize adding a stud tight end to their starting lineup and Andrews would give them just that. Higbee has just 13 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown this season, while Andrews has 24 grabs for 204 yards and two trips into the end zone. That stat line might not look all that impressive on paper, but he's put up that kind of production while only having Lamar Jackson for four games and Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley for the other three.

There's no doubt that Los Angeles would benefit in a big way from this trade but would the Ravens actually pull the trigger and move on from their beloved fan favorite tight end? That's the question needing to answered here.