Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely addresses his future with the team amid looming free agency.
The Baltimore Ravens have a huge offseason ahead of them. They have a ton of players they'd love to retain, and one of them is their young, up-and-coming tight end, Isaiah Likely.
The 25-year-old has spent his entire career with the Ravens and has established himself as a key member of the team. Now with free agency looming, Likely is a hot commodity on the open market.
He will garner a ton of attention, but while that is the case, the Ravens have expressed interest in bringing him back.
Likely has also expressed interest in returning to the team and city he's called home for the past four seasons. In a recent appearance on the Up & Adams show, Likely said the door is always open for a return to Baltimore.
“I gotta do right by me, do right by my family, and do right by what I feel what I can do in this league,” Likely said. “I feel like I’ve shown enough ability to be able to help out any quarterback, any situation, to be able to put points on the board and help an offense.”
“I tell everyone, the door’s always open for Baltimore, only because that’s family,” Likely said. “They took a chance on me when all 31 teams passed, and I tell that to all the fans and organization.”
The Ravens took a chance on Likely in the 2022 NFL Draft, selecting the 25-year-old with the No. 141 overall pick. So far, that gamble has paid off.
Baltimore would like to keep Likely on the roster, but the situation isn’t that simple. His desire to potentially become a TE1 elsewhere, combined with the presence of Mark Andrews and the team’s long-term financial considerations, could ultimately push him to explore opportunities with another franchise.
Other teams have also expressed interest in the tight end, like the Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Likely’s 2025 season was underwhelming by the standards he set for himself after a stellar 2024. He finished with 27 receptions on 36 targets for 307 receiving yards — a career low — along with one touchdown while averaging 21.9 yards per game.
Likely also added how difficult it would be to possibly leave two-time MVP, Lamar Jackson.
"It's just one of those feelings where it hasn't really hit me yet because, technically, I haven't left, quote unquote," Likely said. "But it's also like separating the business side from the family side, and I feel like 'L' understands where I'm at right now in free-agency talks and contract talks on where it can go."