The New York Giants and former Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely have agreed to a three-year contract,ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Terms of the deal were not initially reported.
In Likely, the Giants add a 25-year-old tight end in his prime who flashed considerable upside in four seasons in Baltimore playing alongside veteran Pro Bowler Mark Andrews. He'll provide a prime target for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart, who's coming off a promising rookie campaign.
For Likely, he'll have a chance to play as the No. 1 tight end in New York for the first time in his career. He projects as the top option in a tandem that features incumbent Theo Johnson. Johnson's former tight end teammateDaniel Bellinger has reportedly agreed to join the Tennessee Titans.
A fourth-round selection by the Ravens in the 2022 NFL Draft, Likely was impactful in a limited role with Baltimore since joining the franchise. He played in 14-plus games in each of his four seasons and started in 26 of the 63 games he played.
Advertisement
An athletic 6-4, 245-pound target, Likely was a frequent red-zone target for Lamar Jackson who tallied 15 touchdowns in his four seasons with the Ravens. Likely averaged 34 catches for 392 yards per season as the No. 2 tight option behind Andrews. He had his most productive season in 2024, tallying 42 catches for 477 yards with 6 touchdowns.
The Giants are hoping that Likely will provide Dart with a prime red-zone target and security blanket over the middle in the passing game.
Likely joins a Giants offense that features promising young talent in Dart, Pro Bowl wide receiver Malik Nabers and rising second-year running back Cam Skattebo, whose promising rookie campaign was cut short due to a fractured and dislocated ankle.
The Giants are hoping their young offensive core can eventually lead them to their first playoff appearance since 2022 and just their second since 2016.