Impending free agent tight end Isaiah Likely will probably receive a massive contract in the coming months, but one prominent NFL analyst believes teams should be careful before investing in the veteran pass-catcher. A fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Likely impressed in small doses but has spent most of his time buried on the depth chart behind Mark Andrews. He’s hauled in 135 passes for 1,568 yards and 15 touchdowns through four seasons, but teams probably believe he could be a true TE1 in a different environment.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay, however, isn’t so sure. In a recent article, the NFL analyst made his case for why teams should be cautious when evaluating the Coastal Carolina product.
“While Likely flashes his ability to be elite occasionally – most notably in the 2024 opener when he racked up a whopping nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets – he’s been unable to contribute high-level production with any consistency,” Kay writes. “He followed up that breakout Week 1 performance last year by catching two of three looks for 26 yards with no touchdowns.”
“Buyer Beware” – Teams Urged to Avoid Free Agent Tight End Isaiah Likely
It will be fascinating to see how teams value Isaiah Likely on the free agent market. On the one hand, there aren’t enough good pass-catching tight ends to go around, and Likely has the potential to be one of the league’s better options. While he’ll never put up prime Travis Kelce numbers, he has the raw potential to finish with 600-700 yards in a featured role.
On the other hand, he’s never actually done it over a full season and is coming off arguably the worst campaign of his career. Appearing in 14 games, Likely finished the 2025 campaign with 27 receptions for 307 yards, one touchdown, and a 56.4 PFF grade, the 61st-best mark out of 74 eligible players. All of these marks are career lows, so teams may not be interested in Isaiah Likely if they believe this is a sign of things to come.
Future Earnings
The Ravens signed Mark Andrews to a three-year, $39.3 million extension in December, so it’s safe to assume Isaiah Likely will not return to Baltimore in 2026. However, how much he ultimately earns could depend on fellow free agent Kyle Pitts.
A top-five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Pitts flashed talent throughout his first four seasons in the league but finally put it all together in 2025. Despite playing under poor coaching and questionable quarterbacks, the Florida product finished his breakout season with 88 receptions for 928 yards and five touchdowns on 118 targets. Put simply, he looked like a legitimate weapon in the passing game and something close to the generational talent everyone thought he would be coming out of college.
He will be the top tight end if he reaches the open market, and any team looking for an upgrade at the position will target him. However, if the Falcons extend him or use the franchise tag on him, the other 31 franchises could pivot to Isaiah Likely.
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