There was always a thought, when he was with the Baltimore Ravens, that tight end Isaiah Likely would not just become his team’s No. 1 tight end, but eventually be 1 of the best tight ends in the NFL.
After signing a 3-year, $40 million free-agent contract with the New York Giants and former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in March, it seems he’s finally going to get the opportunity to do both.
With the Giants, there is no question who the top tight end is, and Likely is already turning heads with his work in OTAs, including a highlight-reel catch in workouts.
“One of the top free agents that the Giants added was Isaiah Likely, who played under John Harbaugh in Baltimore,” CBS Sports NFL reporter Tyler Sullivan wrote. “During his tenure with the Ravens, the tight end had a knack for uber-athletic plays, and New York got its first glimpse of that ability during OTAs. Likely did his best impression of the Jumpman logo, hauling in a one-handed catch from Jaxson Dart.”
Likely’s deal with the Giants represents a massive pay increase — the 2022 4th-round pick played out his 4-year, $4.12 million rookie contract in 2025.
Ravens Chose Mark Andrews Over Isaiah Likely
The Ravens signaled they weren’t interested in a future with tight end Isaiah Likely midway through the 2025 season by signing veteran tight end Mark Andrews to a 3-year, $39 million contract.
Likely’s deal with the Giants could be worth up to $47.5 million and came on the 1st day of the 2026 free agency cycle.
“BREAKING: The #Giants are signing former #Ravens TE Isaiah Likely to a 3-year, $40M contract with upside to $47.5M, per multiple sources,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account on March 9. “The deal makes Likely the 3rd-highest paid TE in the NFL, and pairs him with Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers as a dangerous offense in NYC.”
Likely’s payday is even more surprising when you look at his numbers — just 27 receptions for 307 yards and 1 touchdown in 2025.
NY Giants Criticized for Signing Isaiah Likely
According to one NFL insider, the Giants signing of Likely could end up being a huge mistake.
“It’s likely Isaiah Likely will be moving on (in free agency),” NBC’s Matthew Berry wrote on March 2. “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.”
Former Ravens Star Turning Heads After $40 Million Contract