Emerging Young Tight End Inks Deal with the New York Giants

Following the 2025-26 season, which marked tight end Isaiah Likely’s fourth year in the NFL, the young playmaker reached a pivotal juncture in his career as he entered free agency coming off an up-and-down campaign in a changing Baltimore offense. However, that uncertainty has now been resolved, as, according to Ian Rapoport, Likely and the New York Giants have agreed to a 3-year deal worth $40 million with upside to $47.5 million that will bring the versatile tight end to New York as he looks to reset his trajectory and tap back into the promise he showed earlier in his career. The size of the deal underscores that the Giants are willing to invest in an ascending pass-catching weapon who is still in his mid-20s, banking on a bounce-back in a new environment that can better feature his skill set. Even so, Likely still has plenty to prove as an every-week producer, with his new team betting that a more defined role will help him recapture his previous form. Now, the Giants have added a young but already battle-tested offensive piece to their locker room, one who brings experience in a complex scheme and the potential to grow into a trusted security blanket for his new quarterback.​

Likely entered the league as a mid-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens out of Coastal Carolina University, where he put himself on the radar with a highly productive collegiate career built on fluid route running, strong hands, and yards-after-catch ability. Once in the NFL, he initially had to bide his time behind an established Pro Bowl tight end with Mark Andrews in a run-heavy offense, carving out snaps in multi-tight-end sets and specific passing packages. When his number was called, he often answered, showcasing the body control and catch radius that made him a favorite of evaluators during the pre-draft process. His usage gradually increased as coaches grew more comfortable moving him around the formation, from in-line alignments to detached looks in the slot and even out wide, helping establish him as one of the more intriguing young tight ends in the league.​

This past season in Baltimore, however, Likely’s production dipped amid an inconsistent offensive rhythm, as star quarterback Lamar Jackson missed time due to injury and Likely himself was sidelined for three games. He finished the year with 27 receptions for 307 receiving yards and a touchdown grab, a dramatic drop-off from his 2024 campaign, when he posted 42 receptions for 477 yards and a career-high six touchdown catches. The combination of missed time, fluctuating quarterback play, and shifting roles contributed to the regression on the stat sheet, raising questions about how prominently he should factor into Baltimore’s long-term plans. As he begins the next chapter of his career with the Giants, the versatile tight end will look to put this past season behind him, re-establish his reliability, and prove he can once again be a red-zone weapon and matchup problem that his new team can lean on in critical moments.