The Baltimore Ravens will need more from their pass catchers in 2025, including tight end Isaiah Likely.
Likely is entering his fourth season, and though he is still slated to be the backup behind Mark Andrews in the tight end room, he should have a bigger role in the offseason this year. The 25-year-old tallied career highs in catches (42), yards (477), and touchdowns (6) in 2024.
Though Likely hasn’t reached his full potential yet, and his best years are ahead of him, Baltimore should look to lock him down on a long-term extension before the season opens. The Coastal Carolina product is entering the final year of his deal in 2025.
The Ravens locked up wide receiver Rashod Bateman on a three-year deal recently, and The Draft Network’s Justin Melo predicts Likely will also receive a multi-year extension from the franchise sooner rather than later.
Melo adds in his prediction that Likely’s new deal will be worth around $14.5 million per year.
An extension worth around $14.5 million annually would make Likely the fifth-highest-paid tight end in football, jumping his teammate Andrews for that spot. Though he has yet to post a season with 500 yards, paying Likely a deal worth that figure now would be a logical move, as it could look like a bargain by next spring if he has the breakout season we are expecting.
Andrews will turn 30 in September and is a free agent next offseason, so 2025 could be his final year in Baltimore. Likely is the future of the position for the Ravens, so making sure he’s signed through 2026 and beyond should be a priority for general manager Eric DeCosta.
Likely has a ton of promise and could develop into the most dynamic tight end in the sport one day. Baltimore will be just fine if they let Andrews walk in free agency next offseason.
