Isaiah Likely has been a popular breakout candidate for several years, but the Baltimore Ravens tight end has mostly spent his NFL career working behind Mark Andrews in the team’s pecking order.
Likely will finally get a chance to emerge from the three-time Pro Bowler’s shadow in 2026. While he’s a good bet to catch on as a primary pass-catching option for one of the many teams lacking a playmaker at the position, expectations should be tempered after he failed to realize the sky-high potential he displayed earlier in his career.
The 2022 fourth-rounder finished his rookie season with 60 targets, a mark that still stands as a career high. His most productive campaign came in 2024, but his 42/477/6 stat line on 58 targets doesn’t jump off the page.
While Likely flashes his ability to be elite occasionally—most notably in the 2024 opener when he racked up a whopping nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets—he’s been unable to contribute high-level production with any consistency. He followed up that breakout Week 1 performance last year by catching two of three looks for 26 yards with no touchdowns.
Despite the limited production, there have been reports that he is a franchise-tag candidate for the Ravens. With that tag worth a shade over $16 million for tight ends in 2026, he could earn significantly more than his $9.1 million Spotrac estimated market value.
It’s a hefty price for Baltimore or any team to pay for a player who hasn’t impacted the game at a high level with any consistency. The hope would be that Likely, who is still just 25 years old, makes a significant leap in 2026. Unfortunately, based on his past production and inability to capitalize on opportunities, this simply isn’t likely to happen.
