![\"Tyler](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-1863826770-e1771714242565.jpg\")
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General manager Eric DeCosta’s comments about the NFL draft might be good news for Baltimore Ravens free agents Tyler Linderbaum and Isaiah Likely.<\/p>\n
Deciding the futures of three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum<\/a> and dynamic tight end Isaiah Likely<\/a> are the top priorities for Baltimore Ravens<\/a> general manager Eric DeCosta ahead of 2026 NFL free agency, so both players should pay close to attention to a veiled, possible inadvertent, update on their status, delivered by the man in charge.<\/p>\n DeCosta was discussing his philosophy for building rosters, during an appearance on \u201cThe Inner Circle<\/a>\u201d podcast. He told the hosts, including former three-time NFL<\/a> Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald, \u201cWe\u2019re a draft and develop team. so a lot of our resources are gonna be acquiring as many draft picks as possible and then using those on players. Trying to hit on as many picks as we can. Tryna hit on 60 percent of our draft picks every single year, and trying to retain as many of those guys as we can for a second contract.\u201d<\/p>\n Second contracts being central to DeCosta\u2019s team construction is potentially excellent news for both Linderbaum and Likely. They\u2019re set to be among the most sought-after free agents as young players with proven talent just approaching their respective primes.<\/p>\n Those are good reasons for the Ravens to try and keep the duo, but it won\u2019t be easy for DeCosta to find the money for two of the studs of his 2022 NFL draft haul.<\/p>\n Tyler Linderbaum Decision Already Looks Tricky for Ravens<\/p>\n DeCosta has already acknowledged<\/a> how the Ravens have \u201cgot some work to do on Tyler Linderbaum\u2019s contract. We strongly hope to have him back. He\u2019s a great player for us and a great leader.\u201d<\/p>\n The problem is going to be paying Linderbaum like he\u2019s a great player. It might take something in the region of the $18 million annual sum the Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> hand to Creed Humphrey<\/a>.<\/p>\n Without that kind of commitment, DeCosta and the Ravens could find themselves outspent in what\u2019s anticipated to be a bidding war<\/a> for Linderbaum. Finding a competent replacement wouldn\u2019t be easy, although NFL Insider Jason La Canfora<\/a> named former Buffalo Bills<\/a> veteran starter Connor McGovern<\/a> as somebody \u201cthe Ravens are eyeing.\u201d<\/p>\n McGovern is tough and well-travelled, but he does\u2019t boast the same upside as 25-year-old Linderbaum. Likely, by contrast, hasn\u2019t reached his ceiling, so the decision about his future should be easier for DeCosta, despite a stern warning or two about letting the roving playmaker find a new home.<\/p>\n Isaiah Likely Still a Dilemma for Eric DeCosta<\/p>\n Does DeCosta still believe Likely can become the mobile mismatch able to beat coverage from anywhere on a formation? That\u2019s what the 25-year-old is supposed to be, but he\u2019s rarely met the hype<\/a> amid mediocre production, injury and mental errors.<\/p>\n This looks like the ideal moment for the Ravens to give up on the Likely experiment. Especially after extending the contract<\/a> of All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews<\/a> and also having Likely\u2019s fellow fourth-rounder Charlie Kolar<\/a> as a more cost-effective option<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the sensible choice, but DeCosta will rue playing it safe if the light finally goes on for Likely with another team. Particularly if that other team is a rival in the AFC<\/a>, even one within the Ravens\u2019 own division<\/a>.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the warning<\/a> DeCosta will either heed or ignore. If it comes to a decision between keeping Likely, one of two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson\u2019<\/a>s favorite targets, or Linderbaum, who anchors the line in front of the Ravens\u2019 star quarterback, DeCosta should focus on trying to find the money to pay the man over the ball.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tJames Dudko<\/a> covers the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens for Heavy.com. He has covered the NFL and world soccer since 2011, with bylines at FanSided, Prime Time Sports Talk and Bleacher Report before joining Heavy in 2021. More about James Dudko<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Ravens\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty General manager Eric DeCosta’s comments about the NFL draft might be good news for Baltimore Ravens free…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":767686,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2052],"tags":[184,117,2282,7,6,169],"class_list":{"0":"post-767685","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-baltimore-ravens","8":"tag-baltimore","9":"tag-baltimore-ravens","10":"tag-baltimoreravens","11":"tag-football","12":"tag-nfl","13":"tag-ravens"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116111303324162262","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=767685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767685\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/767686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=767685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=767685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=767685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}