Battle for the Bag: Ravens Tight Ends Face Contract Year Showdown
As the Baltimore Ravens prepare for their first full-team training camp practice on Wednesday, several key positional questions loom ahead of the 2025-26 season. Most notably, the biggest storyline that fans and analysts are expected to follow closely is the current and future state of the Ravens’ tight end room. Entering the season, the dynamic trio of Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Charlie Kolar are all set to become free agents, with each playing on an expiring contract. As a result, uncertainty surrounding the long-term outlook at tight end has raised questions about which player general manager Eric DeCosta is most likely to reward with a well-deserved payday after the season.
The two leading candidates expected to battle for a big payday from the Ravens’ front office are Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Entering his eighth NFL season, the 29-year-old Andrews is coming off a 2024-25 campaign that ended on a sour note. The veteran tight end played a significant role in the Ravens' Divisional Round loss to the Buffalo Bills, coughing up the ball on a crucial fourth-quarter fumble and, most notably, dropping a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt late in the game, a play that could have sent it into overtime. As a result, a growing portion of the Ravens fanbase has spent the offseason calling for Isaiah Likely to take on a more prominent role in the offense and ultimately emerge as the top tight end target in Todd Monken’s system.
This push for an increased role for Likely has been fueled by the 25-year-old’s continued display of his emerging talents throughout his three-year NFL career. When comparing postseason production between Likely and Andrews, the difference is striking. In just four playoff games, Likely has already surpassed Andrews, who has made eight postseason starts, in touchdown receptions, with two, while Andrews has yet to record a single playoff touchdown. Most notably, Likely had his breakout playoff performance last season, leading all Ravens tight ends with 126 receiving yards, one touchdown, and tying for the most receptions with seven.
Heading into the season, there’s no doubt it will be a competitive battle between Mark Andrews, the Ravens’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards among tight ends, and Isaiah Likely, who has quickly emerged as a reliable target for Lamar Jackson in a loaded offense. With Andrews aiming to redeem himself in the postseason and Likely looking to build on his early success, intrigue continues to grow around how the Ravens’ tight end contract situation will unfold. Given Baltimore’s long-standing history of investing in the tight end position, both through the draft and contract extensions, including names like Todd Heap, Dennis Pitta, Andrews, and now Likely, it’s possible that one, or even both, could be in line for a big-time deal after the season. Ultimately, it’s up to the two of them to prove who can come through in the clutch as the Ravens chase the Lombardi Trophy.
