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Isaiah Likely’s injury is expected to force Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to change his scheme.
The Baltimore Ravens seemed like they were on the verge of signing tight end Isaiah Likely to a massive contract extension before the 2025 season, but a broken foot suffered in training camp put a stop to that talk.
Likely’s disappointing season did the rest, with the Ravens eventually signing veteran tight end Mark Andrews to a 3-year, $39 million contract extension during the season.
Now, Likely is headed into free agency for the 1st time in his career and could nail down his own big payday — maybe even bigger than Andrews.
One bold prediction sees Likely not only re-teaming with a familiar face but ending up somewhere where he can torture the Ravens twice a year by signing with the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns hired former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their new head coach.
“In all seriousness, when you look at (the Browns) offense, they’re trying to get better on that side of the ball,” CBS analyst Emory Hunt said on Sunday. “That’s where Isaiah Likely comes in, with his familiarity with Todd Monken. The Browns will want to add someone who wants to be the guy, but can also work well with an up-and-coming tight end prospect in Harold Fannin Jr.”
Teams Urged to Avoid ‘Mistake’ With Isaiah Likely
According to one NFL insider, signing Likely to a big-money deal would be a step in the wrong direction.
“It’s likely Isaiah Likely will be moving on (in free agency),” NBC’s Matthew Berry wrote on Monday. “The league seems mixed on him after an up-and-down year. Some people love him, but Baltimore seems content to let him leave and as one league source said to me, ‘someone is gonna be stupid and pay Isaiah Likely a ton of money.’ For what it’s worth, I’m a Likely fan and believer, but I definitely got mixed reviews on him from the league.”
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay put Likely, 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, at the top of his list of “Buyer Beware” NFL free agents in 2026, thanks to how he played after he returned from a fractured foot suffered just a few days into training camp on July 29, which cost him the first 3 games of the regular season.
“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,” Kay wrote on January 14. “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.”
Another Outcome: Isaiah Likely Returns Home
Likely have just dropped a critical hint about where he intends to sign by liking a recent social media post.
“TRENDING: Free agent TE Isaiah Likely, who grew up in Massachusetts, liked a comment on his IG post telling him to ‘come back home,’ ” JPA Football wrote on its official X account. “The Patriots are loaded with cap space and will likely have an aggressive offseason in terms of acquiring talent to try reaching the Super Bowl again.”
Likely grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and graduated from prep football powerhouse Everett High before going on to star at Coastal Carolina.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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