New York Giants Could Have a 1,000-Yard Weapon No One Expected

The New York Giants made sure to address their stable of weapons this offseason, signing wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III in the first wave of free agency and then selecting fellow receiver Malachi Fields in the NFL Draft.

The Giants also recently added wide outs Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios.

But in the midst of all of New York's wide receiver additions, it also picked up a compelling playmaker at another position: tight end Isaiah Likely.

Signing Likely was one of John Harbaugh's first orders of business in the Big Apple, which should not come as much of a surprise considering Harbaugh coached him for four seasons in Baltimore.

The problem for Likely was that he never got a chance to truly establish himself with the Ravens, as he was living in the shadow of Mark Andrews.

Now, however, Likely will get the chance to be the No. 1 tight end for the Giants, and it could result in big things for the 26-year-old. That's especially if Malik Nabers is at all compromised next fall.

Likely is a freak athlete who is really like a wide receiver in a tight end's body. The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder possesses terrific speed and could present Jaxson Dart with a very dependable downfield weapon who can also make life easier for the young quarterback on short and intermediate routes.

In Baltimore, Likely never saw more than 60 targets in a single season. I expect that number to increase exponentially in New York.

Yes, the Giants have Theo Johnson, as well, but Johnson will be settling into a secondary role, which is where he is better-suited, anyway.

Likely could end up becoming Dart's favorite target, and he could be the key that opens up Big Blue's offense.

While I am certainly not guaranteeing it, it would not shock me if Likely — who has yet to post 500 yards in an individual campaign — posts his first 1,000-yard season in 2026. Or, at the very least, he'll come close to achieving it.

Likely doesn't just have great athleticism, but he also owns terrific hands and has the ability to regularly make contested catches.

The Coastal Carolina product can do a little bit of everything, and he could comprise the X-factor in the Giants' offense next season.

NY Giants Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Giants. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.