The Philadelphia Eagles have been linked to a dynamic playmaker after some rough news on the free-agent market.
The Philadelphia Eagles definitely need to find a tight end this offseason, as it doesn't look like they will be retaining Dallas Goedert.
The Eagles were surely hoping to bring in Kyle Pitts, but it looks like the Atlanta Falcons will be slapping a franchise tag on him.
With that option now off the able for Philadelphia, general manager Howie Roseman will have to explore other options, and Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine has identified a very intriguing potential addition: Isaiah Likely.
"Replacing Dallas Goedert with a more dynamic receiving threat in Likely could be exactly what the doctor ordered," Ballentine wrote. "Kyle Pitts would have been a prime target, but he's going to be franchise tagged in Atlanta. Likely could reach new heights in an offense where he isn't stuck behind Mark Andrews. His ability to play in-line or as a jumbo slot would give the Eagles added flexibility."
Likely logged 27 catches for 307 yards and a touchdown in 14 games with the Baltimore Ravens this past season, numbers well below his capabilities.
Isaiah Likely. Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images.The 25-year-old was originally selected by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and carved out quite a role with Baltimore, especially in 2023 and 2024 when he showed he was one of the league's most explosive tight ends.
Likely caught 30 passes for 411 yards and five scores during his sophomore season, averaging 13.7 yards per grab. He then hauled in 42 receptions for 477 yards while reaching the end zone six times in 2024.
But as Ballentine noted, Likely never quite escaped the shadow of Andrews. Now that he is a free agent, he will get the opportunity to be a No. 1 tight end elsewhere, and the Eagles could give him that chance.
Philadelphia always seems to have a good tight end, so you can bet that Roseman will be scouring the market for an answer this spring.
While it's entirely possible that the Eagles may prefer to pluck their solution from the NFL Draft (Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq has been linked to Philly countless times), Likely would also be an enticing solution.
He is still young and he has yet to really hit his ceiling. It stands to reason that Likely could be a 1,000-yard weapon in the right situation, and Philadelphia may very well comprise the ideal landing spot for the Coastal Carolina product.
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